The Farmer's Truth
by Deliverer
Summary: He came into the valley with no fanfare, greeted only by the mayor and the carpenter. To the townsfolk he'd seemed to just manifest one night. He was never seen, yet his presence could be felt everywhere. To call his land a farm was a disservice for it was a garden. He'd needed no wizard's translation to understand, and no brew, for in the end he was alone the essence the forest...
1. Year 1: Spring

.

 _ **The Farmer's Truth**_

1st Year

 **Spring**

The farmer came into the valley with no fanfare. He gave only enough notice for the Mayor to be there with the carpenter.

 _It was out of courtesy that he bothered._

To the townspeople he'd seemed to simply manifest one night. In the first week they saw neither hide nor hair of him. In the second, he came into town to purchase seeds from the shopkeeper. He stayed only long enough to do so before leaving without any further words, disappearing once more.

 _What use had he for them?_

Rasmodius was unsure of what he'd been expecting when he first met the farmer, whose arrival he'd long ago foreseen. He knew he hadn't been expecting _this_. The second the farmer came to his tower, answering his summons, he'd known there was something different about him. Something that was…

 _Distinctly separate..._

He'd told the man of the creatures who had made the Community Center their home and guarded it. The farmer had mentioned a scroll, and so he'd gone to investigate, leaving his guest alone in his tower. When he returned through the front door, the farmer didn't jump or seem alarmed. In fact, he seemed to have expected as much.

 _He was waiting, facing the door..._

He translated the note for his guest out loud. He hadn't known it then, but the man was only humoring him.

 _The farmer had understood from the start every word written in that scroll…_

'If you are one with the forest, then you will see the true nature of this scroll.' That was what it had said. Rasmodius had wondered at what those words meant. He must have seemed such a naïve child, to think it had anything at all to do with his brew. He must have seemed such a fool, telling the farmer to drink and let the essence of the forest permeate his body.

 _He **was**_ _the essence of the forest…_

When his guest drank the brew, the wizard fully expected him to get sick. He didn't. He wasn't even fazed. He remarked simply that it would be better sweetened with berries and honey. He assured the wizard the addition of such ingredients wouldn't taint the drink. He proceeded to compliment him on how well he'd made it, saying he hadn't expected it of one of his ilk.

 _Rasmodius knew, in that moment, that that 'man' wasn't a man at all…_

"You are well at your craft, wizard. Continue to pursue it." With those words the farmer left, and Rasmodius made it a point to find out exactly what it was he'd spoken to.

Stardew

Never was the farmer seen, yet somehow his presence could be felt everywhere. If one was lucky, they might catch a glimpse of him; usually late in the night or during the quiet parts of the day when not many people were around. He was spotted most often in the forest. On occasion by the beach. Other than that, he might as well not have existed at all. Each evening when the Mayor would go to collect the farmer's wares, he would see the fields the man had cultivated. Never the man himself, but his farm... And he was in _awe_ of it...

To call it a farm seemed a disservice. It was more a garden. No spot of land that could be cultivated had been left unseeded or unaccounted for, and Lewis wondered how it was possible for the farmer to afford all these seeds! He longed to walk in those fields, but always just as he was about to, this odd sense of foreboding washed over him and all he knew was that he had to leave. Immediately. So he did.

The farmer never harvested a thing he planted, say for maybe one item—sometimes five—from specific crops. He never sold those. What was usually placed in the box consisted of treasures from the mines, fish, and foraged fruits and flowers. Even some of _these_ things the farmer kept near. The man was a mystery, and the Mayor wasn't sure how he felt about that.

It was Marnie who next saw the man. She'd walked through his garden in wonder, carrying the stray cat she'd found sitting outside the farm, looking at the plants in wonder. She arrived at the door as he was exiting his house. She greeted him and asked him if he would like to adopt the poor creature. He'd taken it from her arms without a word, gently stroking it. It fell in love with him immediately. Her heart almost melted at the adoration the animal displayed for the farmer on first sight. She teased him, telling him she'd obviously chosen her owner. He said only thank you, and told her that should she find any other stray animals, she was free to bring them to his farm during the day. _Only_ the day. He hadn't said that part, of course, but she got this strangely distinct feeling that that was what he'd meant. With _no_ exceptions.

The next time she saw him, it was to bring him a dog. The dog had fallen in love with him as quickly as the cat had. She had marvelled at his way with animals. "You must be a truly kind and good person for them to love you so much. Anyone who adores animals as much as you is wonderful in my books," she gushed, really starting to like this farmer. He hadn't responded beyond a hum and a dismissal with another thanks, and she was left a bit puzzled as to his silence on her remark. Most people reacted really positively to such comments, but him? She didn't know what to make of his reaction. After that, she didn't see him again. Though the Mayor attempted to reach out to the new farmer, inviting him to participate in the Egg Festival, he didn't come. In fact, he didn't make an official appearance until the day of the Flower Dance…

Stardew

He was the last one there. He came into the field without a word. He spoke to no one. He stood and observed, on occasion walked the perimeter. He watched the children dancing, and Haley. He seemed intrigued with Haley. Not in a romantic sense, more... in a way they couldn't really describe. He was enough intrigued, in fact, that after some moments observing, he went out onto the field and joined her in her warm up.

 _He moved so gracefully it was as if he glided without touching the earth…_

Haley was smitten. She cherished every second he danced along with her and the children. He stopped dancing only to discuss with the Mayor the start of the festivities, then he stood and watched in the corner as the couples lined up and began their dance. He didn't join them. He was the last one to arrive, and he was the last one to leave.

 _He was still dancing when Mayor Lewis and Jodi looked back…_

Stardew

Aside from the Mayor and Marnie, Robin was the only other person to date who had seen the farmer's land, and then only on the day he'd arrived when there was nothing to see. The day after the Flower Dance, he hired her to expand his house. It was the first look at his fields that she had had since he arrived, and she absolutely couldn't believe her eyes. She meant to compliment him on it… Except he never came… Not until the sun was just starting to go down did he return.

"How did you manage all this?!" she exclaimed in awe. He didn't answer her question. Instead, he gave her a warning. A warning so stern and grave that the hairs on her body started to prickle…

"By the last light of the setting sun, you will be gone from this place. Tread not here 'till the light of day, and when morning's light touches the earth once more, you may resume your work. No sooner."

She couldn't stop shivering the rest of the night, his words chilling her bones down to the marrow. And she didn't know why. She just knew that when darkness started to fall, a feeling of such unease and fear began to wash over her that she had to go. She _had_ to.

 _As she began to leave, she heard the door to his farmhouse open… She ran…_

It wasn't too long before most people started to pay the farmer no heed. They had decided, by now, that he would probably be another Rasmodius and that they'd best just leave him to his own devices. The Mayor would of course still invite him to festivals, but other than that and the occasional request for something from his farm—it was a tossup whether he would help or not—they asked little of him. In fact, things soon seemed to go back to normal in the valley as the mystery of the strange farmer lost its novelty, and the rumors started to die out.

 _But innocent eyes, fanciful hearts, and wild imaginations could see what the jaded, the practical, and the literal could not…_

Stardew

There was nothing that saw with more innocent eyes than children. The day after the dance, Jas was playing hide-and-seek with Vincent. Vincent had been the seeker and she had gone to hide in the woods. She hurried through them in exhilaration, panting and grinning as she heard her friend counting down. She giggled, climbing over a big log that was blocking a trail, and being careful not to tear her dress. She hadn't meant to go so far into the forest. She knew that when she did, Uncle Shane, Aunt Marnie, and Miss Penny became cross with her. She'd known exactly where she was, really! And then she looked back and… and she didn't anymore… She couldn't even hear Vincent anymore…

She tried to find her way out, but it seemed the harder she looked the more lost she became, and she was getting so frightened and it was getting so dark and she didn't know what to do! She could hear creatures moving in the forest. She knew monsters liked to hide in the woods and she became so afraid and just started to run and run and run and scream for help and scream for her daddy and mommy and Shane and Aunt Marnie until she just couldn't run anymore and fell down on the ground and burst into tears hugging herself tightly. She was cold and hungry and thirsty and lonely and lost, and now it was the night and she'd never get out ever! She was going to be lost forever and the monsters would get her or she'd freeze or die and she'd never see Vincent again or Auntie Marnie or Shane or Miss Penny or anybody! Her whole body shook with her sobs as she curled in on herself, burying her head in her knees and shivering with fear.

 _And then she sensed it…_

Something in the darkness lingered above her. She went stiff, feeling the eyes upon her. Slowly and nervously she looked up, afraid it was a monster… It wasn't a monster. Not at all… Her eyes widened in wonder and she let out a breath on seeing it. It was a man, tall and proud and beautiful with pointy ears and long flowing robes that kissed the ground, and a big and beautiful cape, and a crown of jagged wood woven with spring flowers that sat upon his head. He held a staff of carven oak and gazed at her gently.

 _"Why do you weep, little one?"_

 _"I… I don't know you. I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."_

 _"You are wise. It seems you have been taught well. By whom?"_

She stayed quiet, reminding herself not to speak to him as tears burned her eyes. She'd been taught by Uncle Shane and Aunt Marnie. She'd never see them again… She buried her face in her knees again, sniffing. He knelt in front of her, and suddenly she felt so safe. So warm. Suddenly the cold wasn't there anymore...

 _"Drink," he cooed gently._

 _"I'm not supposed to take things from strangers," she answered in a whisper._

 _"Drink," he prompted again._

She glanced up from her knees. In his hands rested a bowl crafted of leaves, inside of which was a liquid. After a moment she reached out, taking it and putting it to her lips, sipping the sweet drink from inside until it was empty. It took a long time for it to be empty. She hadn't known there was so much in it. He offered her a broadleaf next, filled with wild berries and vegetables. Her stomach grumbled. "Eat," he said, so she took it, eating her fill. There was nothing left of it when she finished.

 _She sheepishly offered it back. "I'm sorry. I ate all of it," she said._

 _"It is alright," he answered in a gentle voice. "Close your eyes, little one. Sleep."_

 _"I'm lost," she whispered, tears burning her eyes as she bowed her head again._

 _"Sleep," he murmured softly again. She felt her eyes sliding shut in exhaustion, and something warm enveloped her… "_ _Do you like flowers?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Good. It's yours now..."_

 _She peered up at him through watery eyes, a little curious, and he held out to her the most perfect fairy rose she'd ever seen in her life, pressing it into her hand! She gasped, eyes widening in wonder as she sat up. "Wow, thank you!" she exclaimed, gazing at it almost star-struck. "It's so beautiful! How did you find one so pretty?" She looked up for her answer and gasped again, this time in fear. He was gone! She looked around, confused. She hadn't even heard him leave!_

And then she woke up. His whisper still echoed in her head... And the fairy rose still rested in her hand...

Stardew

"Jas? Jas, where are you?! Sweetheart, answer me!" she heard Uncle Shane calling out desperately, sounding near panic.

"Jas! Jas!" Vincent echoed, sounding teary and afraid. Other voices echoed too, Aunt Marnie and Miss Penny and the Mayor and everyone!

Jas gasped, standing. "Uncle Shane, Vince, I'm here! I'm here!" she called frantically, quickly putting the fairy rose in a pocket.

"Jas!" Shane shouted frantically. She heard running steps and raced towards where she heard them coming from. Suddenly Shane forced his way through the bushes and caught his breath. "Jasmine!" he exclaimed, diving at her and scooping her up, hugging her so tightly she could hardly breathe. "You're okay! Sweetie, you're okay. You're alive!"

Overwhelmed, Jas burst into tears as Shane's shaking fingers stroked her hair protectively. "Jas!" Vincent exclaimed, reaching them first. "We found you Jas!"

"I'm sorry, Shane, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go so far, I didn't!" Jas said to Shane, pulling back and wiping at her teary eyes. "We were just playing and I wanted to find a really good spot and I just kept looking and looking and I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Hey, it's okay. You're alright. It's okay," Shane soothed, voice quivering in fear. "Oh thank goodness you're okay."

"Jas!" Aunt Marnie exclaimed, bustling out of the bush and going straight to her, bursting into tears as she snatched her from Shane and cuddled her close. The other villagers finally made the scene looking immensely relieved and enormously happy. "We were so afraid we'd lost you! The nights were so cold and the monsters were out in force and you were gone so long…"

"Nights? I-I've only been out here one night," Jas said, confused. Silence fell. Dead silence.

"What?" Shane finally asked, voice edged.

Jas looked around, confused. "I-I've been gone only one night… Haven't I?" There was silence. "Why won't anyone answer me?" she asked vulnerably.

"Honey, you've been missing for _days_ ," Penny finally, worriedly, said.

Jas paled. _What_? She was shocked to silence. "She needs to be brought to the clinic. She's confused, possibly delirious. I need to make sure she's alright," Dr. Harvey spoke up, approaching in concern and looking her over with a critical eye.

"Y-yeah. O-okay," Shane shakily agreed.

She was brought to the clinic and left in the room alone with Vincent, while Dr. Harvey explained to Shane and Marnie the specifics of what would happen in the examination.

"Where'd you find that flower?" Vincent wondered, approaching his friend and eyeing the flower she'd pulled from her pocket and now clutched in her hand.

Jas looked at the blossom in confusion, almost like she'd forgotten it. "Huh? Oh. I-I… someone gave it to me," she replied.

"Someone? Who?" Vincent asked.

"The one who saved me," she answered, bowing her head.

"Huh?"

"There was a man. In the woods. He was so tall and pretty. He had pointy ears and long flowing robes and a cape, and a crown and staff too! He was… he was strange… But in a good way! He was nice to me. He gave me something to eat and drink and let me sleep and protected me, and then he just… he disappeared."

"Whoa… Are you going to try and find him again?" Vincent asked

"…Yes," she replied.

"Cool," Vincent said, grinning. "Me too!"

 _They never found him, but **he**_ found **_them_ …**

Stardew

Ever since meeting the 'farmer', the wizard had been determined to unravel the mystery. He had been ready to pull out every stop, work out every hitch, and get to the bottom of it... The night he found out the truth was two days after Jas disappeared. He had suspected the 'farmer' was behind it, and were his suspicions correct it wouldn't be unlikely. He had had everything laid out and ready to go, prepared to stay awake days on end if need be to discover what had become of that child. It hadn't been necessary. Not in the slightest. That night while in his tower, he had caught a glimpse of lights glowing in the secret forest that had been blocked off for so long. He turned to his window to try and see them better. They were gone, so he investigated personally…

In the woods he watched as the farmer danced alone to a song he sang in a language the wizard had never thought would be heard in these forests again. Then others began to come, began to appear from the woods and from the air. Around the farmer's feet the Juminos materialized, jumping about in rhythm with the tune. From the forest fluttered fairies, who flitted like fireflies around him, circling him as they too danced, singing along or playing little instruments to compliment his song... It almost seemed they were celebrating... The leaves on the ground were thrown up all around him by his flowing cape, the crown on his head majestic and beautiful, and animal eyes watched from the darkness as the farmer danced. No. Not farmer. _King_.

 _The elven king, great and powerful, who long ago had disappeared with all his kin, or so the stories said... The stories were wrong... Oh so very wrong…_

Rasmodius could only gape in wonder and awe, bowled over. Before he fully realized what he was doing, he stepped out into the light. The fairies, alarmed, scattered. The junimos chirped in fear, fading away quickly. The wizard nearly dropped to the ground in slumber, but he had cast a spell upon himself to resist the magic of the fairy ring once he realized what it was he would be dealing with. The elf king was hardly perturbed. Not even when the wizard confronted him.

 _"_ _Where is the child?! Where is the little girl who vanished in this forest?! If you've stolen her away…"_

 _"_ _Was it not you, wizard, who spoke of fear and of how mortals were afraid of what they did not understand? Why is it you now display that same fear towards me yourself?"_

 _"_ _A little girl has vanished."_

 _"_ _She is safe and well, and they will find her soon enough. I will be sure of it."_

 _"_ _One with the forest… You knew from the start all you saw in that building, didn't you? Why then did you come to me for help if you understood already?"_

 _"_ _Because I desired to meet you."_

The elfin king went on to speak of men like Rasmodius whom he had known many, many ages ago and been on neutral terms with, and he had told him it had been long since last he had crossed paths with one of the wizard's sort… Then he had told him never again to come to the fairy ring unless invited, or next time not even his magic would save him from the erl-king's illusions… Only days later the girl was found safe and unharmed and well.

Stardew

Linus hadn't had very high an opinion of the farmer who'd come into the valley. He remembered when the man had caught him rummaging through trash. He'd made the mistake of opening up to him about it. The man's response had been cold at best, and he'd hated him for a while. The farmer had paid little mind to him, and he'd paid little mind to the farmer. Until one day it all changed. Linus didn't remember what he'd said specifically. Either it was something about the trees and how if you listened they would tell you their secrets, or it was something about nature providing everything he needed. Maybe he'd talked about how he felt about the woods? He wasn't sure. It was then, though, that things had changed. Then the farmer suddenly wasn't so indifferent anymore…

The farmer would bring him foraged goods, the best of the best, or even produce from his own farm, again some of the best. Yams, usually, sometimes coconut or cactus fruit too from the desert instead of his farm. Everything Linus loved. He didn't know how the man was growing the crops off-season, or where he was finding them if he didn't grow them, but he didn't question it. Was best _not_ to question sometimes. The man would spend time speaking with him. Even if he acted cold or told the farmer he didn't need anymore friends, the other would patiently keep coming back, and Linus would find himself slowly warming up to him. Then one evening he'd spoken to his friend Rasmodius about the farmer… That night he'd learned exactly what his new friend was…

 _"_ _You-you-you're…"_

 _"_ _Does it surprise you so much, my friend?"_

 _"…_ _No…"_

 _"_ _Do you now fear what you do not know?"_

 _"…_ _No, my lord."_

 _"_ _Well spoken."_

 _ _Silence was his response.__

 _"_ _I wish no harm upon you, Linus."_

 _"_ _I know. I trust you… Is that little girl, Jas, alive because of you?"_

 _"_ _She is."_

 _"_ _How close to… to not coming back was she?"_

 _"…_ _Extremely."_

Linus was given a place to lodge that night, beneath the elf-king's roof, and departed his company with no further words the next morning...


	2. Summer - Part 1

**Summer - Part 1**

 _"_ _Who gave you the fairy rose, dear?"_

 _"_ _I found it."_

 _..._

 _"_ _Hey Jas. Where'd you get that flower?"_

 _"_ _In the woods, uncle."_

 _..._

 _"_ _Again? Is it even the season for fairy rose's, dear? Who gave you it?"_

 _"_ _A friend, auntie."_

 _"_ _What friend? Jas? Jas, don't ignore me! Jas!"_

 _..._

 _"_ _Jas, Marnie says you ignored her when she asked you what friend gave you the flower. Now_ _ **I'm**_ _going to ask. Where are you getting those? They're not even in season… I'm waiting for an answer, Jas… Jas, why aren't you answering me?! Jas, don't walk away!"_

 _"_ _Ow! You're hurting me Uncle Shane."_

 _"_ _Answer me right now! Who gave you that flower?!"_

 _"_ _A friend!"_

 _"_ _What friend, goddammit?!"_

 _"_ _It was the elf king, it was the elf king!"_

 _"_ _What? Wait, Jas, don't run from me! Jas!"_

Stardew

She sat under her favorite tree, where she liked to skip all the time, crying into her knees. She didn't hear him so much as sense his presence beside her. She felt him kneel in front of her. She felt his eyes on her. He didn't need to ask the question for her to know what it was. _"_ Uncle Shane got so mad, and he held my arm so tightly… He was scaring me… I smelled the yucky juice he drinks, but it wasn't as strong as it is sometimes when he comes home really late, so I don't think he had too much of it. But he was still so mad, and I was still so afraid, and so I told him it was you who gave me the flower, but he didn't believe me! He didn't!"

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him it was the elf king who gave me the flower."

"It does not matter whether he believes or not. _You_ know it to be true. When next they ask the truth of you, you will say to them, 'I plucked it from the farmer's garden.' They will ask you if you stole it, and when they do you will tell them the farmer allowed you to pick the roses there."

"They'll be mad at me. I'm not supposed to take things from strangers."

"Is the farmer a stranger?"

"To them he is. Besides, fairy roses aren't supposed to grow now anyway so what do I do if they think I'm lying even then?"

"Bring them to the garden, and the farmer will speak to them and ease their minds. You know what rules to follow to come into the glade."

"Come not here at the fall of night, tread not here 'til the morning's light."

"Good. Now dry your tears, little one. All will be well."

He reached out, his finger softly brushing away her tears. She sniffed and wiped her nose, nodding. He drew her to her feet and sent her on her way wordlessly.

Stardew

Shane sat at the kitchen table, head in his hands looking miserable. Marnie sat across from him holding her tea in her hands and hoping Shane would start to drink his soon. "It wasn't your fault she ran, Shane. Maybe you held her arm a little roughly, but you didn't strike her, did you?" Marnie soon asked.

"No! I would never do that!" Shane immediately defended.

"Then it wasn't you she ran away from. I'm… I'm afraid she's running away because she doesn't want to tell us the truth," Marnie said.

"What's so harmful about telling us where she got a stupid flower from?" Shane demanded. "There's no reason she needs to be this closed off about it, right? Right?! What's she so ashamed of that she won't… that she won't even tell _us_? _Me_?"

"We'll just have to ask her together when she comes home," Marnie assured. "We'll figure out the truth. What did she tell you?"

Shane sighed. "She said something stupid. A ridiculous lie. She said it was the elf king. I don't even know how she came up with that unless Penny's been sharing fairy stories with her and Vincent. I'm gonna have to talk to her about cutting back on them, because Jas is starting to take it a little too seriously," he answered.

Just then the door opened. Both gasped, looking sharply over. "Jas!" Shane said in relief, rising.

"Jas!" Marnie repeated in concern, hurrying out to her.

"I'm sorry I ran away," Jas said to them sadly, bowing her head.

"Honey, I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to, I promise I didn't! Does it still hurt? Is there a bruise?" Shane asked quickly, kneeling in front of her and gently taking her arms this time. She didn't flinch away, so that was a good sign.

"No," she replied.

"Are you alright, darling?" Marnie questioned.

"I'm okay," she answered.

"Thank goodness," Marnie said, breathing a sigh.

"I… I'm ready to talk about the flowers now…"

"Y-you are?" Marnie asked.

"Yes auntie," Jas replied.

"Oh. Well alright? Um, where do you get the flowers from, dear?" Marnie questioned.

"I pluck them from the farmer's field," Jas answered.

"Jas!" Marnie said in shock.

"When you say pluck, do you mean you pick them without asking?" Shane asked

"No Uncle! He told me I was allowed to pick the roses from his field if I wanted to. He gave me one once, when we were passing by each other. I wanted to know where he got it, so later in the day I snuck into his field to see, and I saw them! They were just so pretty, and I asked him if I could have one because he was working outside and caught me spying, and he said I could take one any time I wanted to."

"How can the farmer grow fairy roses this time of year? They aren't supposed to be available until fall."

"But they are, auntie! He helps them."

"Jas, that's not possible," Shane said.

"I can show you, Uncle!"

"Enough, Jas! Enough," Shane shot. Jas bowed her head lowly, deeply upset. She turned and left the house without a word to go attend her lessons with Miss Penny and Vincent. Shane, looking worried, made to go after her, but Marnie gently caught his shoulder and shook her head. Shane sighed and nodded in agreement.

Stardew

"Jas, where do you get such beautiful flowers?" Penny asked.

"I don't think you'd believe me Miss Penny," Jas replied.

"Why wouldn't I believe you, sweetie?" Penny said

"Because Uncle Shane and Aunt Marnie didn't."

"Well, try me. I won't laugh, I promise," Penny said. No response. "Jas?" she asked, frowning in concern.

"The elven king gave it to me," Jas said quietly, forgetting to use the cover.

Penny blinked. "The… elfin king? Gave it to you?"

"You don't believe me…" Jas sadly said.

"…What did the elfin king look like?" Penny asked after a moment.

"You **do** believe?" Jas asked in hope.

"I do," Penny replied, smiling. She walked away to fetch the books they'd be using today.

Vincent watched after her. When she was gone, he turned to Jas. "I want to meet him too, Jas. I want to find the elf king too!" he said in a hushed voice.

"I don't find _him_ , Vincent. He finds _me_ ," Jas replied.

"Please Jas? Please?"

"Well…"

"Please, please, please, please?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Yay!"

"We'll go into the woods and play, um… hide-and-seek again! I'll count and you hide, and maybe he'll find you this time instead of me!"

"Alright!"

Stardew

He shouldn't have hidden in the farmer's field. He was worried about being caught trespassing there. Maybe the farmer would be really, really mad and really, really bad things would happen. He hoped not. He was a good hider, so he should be okay he thought. Jas would never look for him here. So far he hadn't had any luck being found by the elf king. Maybe he would hide deeper in the forest next time. He didn't know anyone was there until he felt a presence behind him. He yelped, jumping about a foot in the air and spinning around with eyes wide. The farmer! Vincent held his breath in terror, bracing for anger. Instead the man simply summed him up with a tilt of his head. Nothing else.

 _"Child, why have you come into my fields?" he questioned._

 _"I was trying to hide. My friend Jas is the seeker and I'm the hider, and I wanted the best place and I didn't think she'd come onto your farm and I'm sorry that I did, but I just wanted to hide, I promise!"_

 _The man simply summed him up quietly, reading him. Then, to Vincent's amazement, what the man looked like was suddenly something else entirely… His appearance didn't change, in fact it remained the same. Except now he saw the ears and how they seemed to change and become pointy, and he saw the glow. He saw the robes and cape and the flowered crown, and he realized in that moment what he was staring at… But he wasn't shocked. Or alarmed. Or anything. In fact, he felt a bit more comfortable than he had before._

 _"If you desire to hide in my fields, so be it. Would you like me to show you a good spot?"_

 _"Yeah! I mean, yes please." The elf king smiled, offering his hand. Vincent took it cautiously, and the king led him into his garden and brought him to a vineyard of grapes! "Whoa! Those are my favorite!" Vincent exclaimed, growing excited. The elf king plucked a bunch of grapes from the vine and held them out to Vincent. "For me?" Vincent asked in awe._

 _"Of course. Eat to your heart's content, little one, then slumber here in my garden. Your friend will not find you, but it will be alright. You will see her again tomorrow. You have my word," the elf king answered. Vincent noticed the sun was starting to go down and frowned worriedly. Jas had said he wasn't supposed to be here after the sun went down, or before it came up. "You are safe, little one," the king vowed. Vincent shifted uncomfortably, feeling like he should run, but then a wave of calm came over him and he smiled, perking up again. He immediately went to the grapes and began to eat as many as his stomach could handle. The elf king watched silently. As the last light of the sun was disappearing, the child fell asleep…_

He woke up in his bed the next day. He asked his mother and brother who had brought him home. They had been confused. They said he had come back on his own… Later that day, the erl-king brought him some grapes when he was by himself. He wasn't sure how the fae had gotten into the locked house. He asked his mother if she'd let the elf inside. Jodi frowned in concern and slight displeasure to hear him ask that.

 _She told him she'd let no one inside and that no one had been here at all…_

Stardew

For days Jas and Vincent went around telling everyone who cared to ask or hear exactly who gave Jas the fairy roses every week, forgetting the lie they were supposed to tell. For a while Shane and Marnie would explain the truth to whoever had been told Jas's fantasy, but as the weeks went on and the girl became more steadfast in her belief it was an elf king, they became more concerned. Not only them, but the whole town. Even Penny had cut back on fairy tales, to Jas and Vincent's dismay.

"You believe me, don't you Miss Penny?" Jas asked, sounding a bit hurt that no one though she or Vincent were telling the truth.

Penny hated the question because if she answered honestly, she'd have to say she _didn't_ believe it. She was pretty sure it was just the children's imagination. Maybe Vincent was rubbing off on Jas. At the same time, she didn't want to ruin their fantasy. "Tell me about him," she finally settled on saying. She'd humor the little children, she decided, and so she sat in rapt attention as Jas went on to describe him.

"He's beautiful, Miss Penny. He has long hair that's so pale it's almost white, but it isn't. I think it's just really, really, really light blond, but it's so silky and smooth. He's pale like the moon, and his skin is almost like it shines. His eyes are so pretty too, like a stormy sea or angry sky. Blue but also grey at the same time. He's very tall as well, and he's just… just…"

"Majestic? Otherworldly?" Penny asked, smiling fondly.

"What do those mean?" Jas asked.

"Well… it means amazing, maybe is the better word to use for you," Penny replied.

"He is, Miss Penny," Jas replied.

"He has a sword! It's so awesome! And a bow and arrows, and armor, and a cape and crown and staff and everything. Lots of animals come say hi to him all the time, and he can grow _anything_ Miss Penny," Vincent added.

"He sounds wonderful," Penny replied with a smile, resting her chin in her hand in amusement.

"He is Miss Penny," Vincent confirmed. Jas nodded in agreement so solemnly Penny almost giggled. She kept a straight face though, simply nodding with a smile.

Stardew

"You need to stop Jas from speaking this nonsense about elves, Marnie dear. Vincent is starting to ask me strange questions now. His imagination is running wild. He asked me today if I had let an elf inside! He said it had gone to his room and visited him and brought him a present of all the ridiculous things. No one came into our house, I promise you that. I would have known. Wouldn't I?" Jodi said as she spoke to Marnie that day at their exercise club.

"Of course you would, Jodi! I'm sorry for Jas's fantasies. I'll speak to her about spreading them around. That girl is filling her head with as much nonsense as Vincent usually does. No offense," Marnie replied.

"Oh, none taken. I know my son," Jodi said with a rueful sigh, brushing some hair out of her face. "Jas was always the more grounded of them, so I'm surprised she's the one telling the tale this time. It's really worrying me."

"I've talked to Penny. She's cut out the fairy tales and she's been explaining the differences between fantasies and realities to the children. The poor dear is trying to be supportive of their imaginations, but she's also struggling to point out to them the lines between what's real and what's fake without crushing them," Marnie said.

"She's a good girl. She'll figure it out," Jodi said confidently. "Until then I'm going to tell Vincent no more nonsense about elves." Marnie nodded in agreement. "They went extinct long ago, if they ever actually existed in the first place. Which I doubt. Gunther seems convinced of the existence of the dwarves, but I have yet to see him back the existence of elves."

"I'll be sure to put my foot down on Jas's elf fantasies," Marnie said. "I hope I don't make her cry, but I probably will. I hate having to do that."

"The struggles of parenting," Jodi said, smirking ruefully. Marnie chuckled sadly, shaking her head.

Stardew

Evelyn watched sympathetically as a dejected looking Jas went around town, that second week of summer, sad and upset. She'd been in this mood many days now, always near tears and often looking towards the forest like she wanted to go into it but wasn't allowed to. She had been confined to her immediate property and the town, but was forbidden from going to the woods or beach alone. Now, Evelyn wasn't deaf to the stories Jas had been telling. Stories about an elfin king who gave her gifts of fairy rose. She stopped rocking in her chair - dear Alex had moved it outside for her so she could get some sun - and lay down her knitting as the little girl passed close by.

"Jas dear, come here a moment," Evelyn called gently out. Jas looked over sadly then approached, becoming a bit curious. "Why are you so sad, my sweet pea?" Evelyn questioned, moving aside her knitting and patting her lap. Jas climbed onto her knee and bowed her head low. She didn't answer. "Is this about the elf king?" Evelyn coaxed.

Jas looked quickly up, eyes a little hopeful. "Yes! How did you know?" Jas asked.

"I've heard your stories of him, dear," Evelyn replied, smiling gently.

"They aren't stories! They're true!" Jas insisted. "They're true but no one believes me except Vincent, and now I'm not allowed to go into the woods anymore. Or to the beach alone either. Aunt Marnie told me I couldn't, and she told me to stop talking about elves because I'm filling Vincent's head with nonsense, but it's _not_ nonsense, it's _not_! He's seen too!"

"I know it's true, sweet pea," Evelyn said.

Jas caught her breath, eyes bugging wide. She stared at granny in shock for a whole five seconds before breathing again. "You do?" she asked in an awed whisper.

"I do," Evelyn replied. "I've seen the elves too. Long ago, when I was a very little girl just like you. Once upon a dark autumn night…"

 _Evelyn laid in her bed, gazing out the window at the stars and the woods so near her home. She couldn't get to sleep no matter how hard she tried. Maybe if she took a walk it would help! She longed to go out. The stars were so pretty, and the woods were so quiet and serene. But grandmother had told her once to never go into the forest alone after dark, for that was the time when the faerie people danced and sang in their fairy circle, and should one venture there before the light of day and come across them in the dark and deep woods, then the fair folk would steal their soul away for many years ,if not forever, trapped entranced by their song and dance until the time they deigned it right to release their prize. But myth and fairy tale, Evelyn decided, wouldn't keep her from the path through the forest. They were only stories told to scare little children, and she wasn't little, she wasn't! She rose from her bed and snuck out…_

 _She felt eyes upon her. Hidden in shadow and always watching. She began to worry, then, that she'd made a mistake, but something seemed to keep pulling her deeper into the forest, towards the thickest parts of it, and though she was starting to be so afraid, she felt her fear start to wane and calm until she wondered if she were even still awake of if she were dreaming. Like she was becoming totally detached from humanity... _And then she saw it…__

 _Gold and silver shone all around, a thousand lights dancing on the ground. She saw them dancing and singing in a magic ring by the waning light of a fire, tall and proud and wondrous fair. _Grandmother had called them the people of the earth, the dark, and the air. Grandmother had warned her that should she go into the woods alone at night, to bring with her iron, for most of the fae hated iron. It was too unnatural to them. Grandmother had told her that if they called to her, she wasn't to obey or let them near, but Evelyn felt like she might not have a choice. However, Evelyn hadn't ignored all her grandmother's words, and she had brought with her some things made of iron just in case. She watched the dance in wonder and awe, hypnotised by all she was seeing and hearing. At their head sat a king, tall and beautiful and graceful, upon on a chair fringed with gold and silver, holding a carven staff of oak. He wore a crown of autumn leaves and berries. At his side was an old bearded one, and Evelyn was unsure if that one was elven or human or something else, but he was important to the king whoever he was, given his seat of honor. She tried to turn away, but try as she might she couldn't. She felt frozen, but even though she knew she should be scared, she wasn't. She felt safe and okay, and she didn't leave. Maybe she never would have, except an elf maiden caught sight of her and smiled and approached her.__

 _Grandmother had told Evelyn about changeling children, and Evelyn was afraid again. Afraid this elf maid would make her one. As the maiden reached out to her, though, her necklace with the iron pendant slipped out and the maiden screeched in horror, leaping back. The king's eyes found the little girl quickly and darkened, and she knew terror unlike anything she'd ever felt before. The king rose to go to her, but the old one at his side reached out, gently catching his arm and murmuring something to him. Reluctantly the king sat once more, and the old one stood and came towards her. She shook in fear, watching with tears burning her eyes as he approached._

 _He knelt before her. He told her she shouldn't be here. He told her she needed to go, and that this time they would let her free because she was only such a very young child, but that next time she wouldn't be so fortunate. She nodded quickly. He gently took her and led her down into the fairy ring and presented her to the king, and that king looked at her with eyes so unfathomable… He took her upon his lap and fed her from his own plate, keeping her near and safe from the others with the backing of the old one. She fell asleep. When next she awakened, she was back home in bed as if she'd never left and it had all been a dream…_

"So, when Vincent said the elf king brought him home on the night I couldn't find him…?" Jas began.

"Then it was so," Evelyn answered. Jas appeared entranced by all this.

"When did you stop believing it was a dream?" Jas wondered.

"When I was a young girl in my teenage years, my life at home began to be… not so pleasant. Father was killed in war, mother was never the same. It was as if she'd forgotten I was there at all, and grandmother wouldn't take me in. The sight of me pained her too much. Reminded her too greatly of her son, my father's, death. I felt so very alone… Then one cold, silver winter's day, I heard an otherworldly call. I knew what it was, and that was when I knew it hadn't been a dream. I left my home, and my mother and grandmother and all I had, and went into the forest once more. The farther I went, the clearer it became and the more tired I grew until I stopped, finally, to rest. I lay down upon the green grass and let sleep come. I felt the forest wrap around me as if it were a blanket. I knew I would never leave, then. I didn't care. I awoke to the Fair Folk dancing around me singing, and there I stayed, listening to them in wonder and never leaving," Evelyn said.

"But you're here now," Jas pointed out.

"I emerged from those woods seven years later, unaware of how much time had even passed. I emerged and found everything I once had was lost. Grandmother had died, mother was gone—dead or alive I never did find out—my home was no longer my home but someone else's, and I was now no longer a teenager, but a young woman walking out into a world she didn't know anymore. I tarried there in those woods to watch the fairy ring, and so I had been enthralled for years. I was so afraid… Then I found George, and he took me into his home and gave me a place to stay, and the rest as they say is history."

"And the elven king?" Jas asked.

"He was the one who set me free," Evelyn answered. "Whether what they did was malicious or kind, I'm not sure to this day. Perhaps he knew what my home life was like and so kept me safe there far from all that pain and drama. Perhaps he did it simply because he could. You never can tell with them, so when he tells you not to go into his garden or wander too far into the forest in the night, he means it and you'd do well to listen to his warnings lest what happened to me should happen to you. Tell Vincent the same should he get it into his little boy's head to go seeking the erl-king one night."

"Is… is the elf king wicked?" Jas asked.

"He isn't wicked, my dear. Nor is he kind. He simply is," Evelyn answered. "But mind my warnings, sweet pea, and don't worry. I feel that perhaps there are more than just me in this town who believe you."

 _Later that night, the elf king came..._

Evelyn's sat in her chair knitting before bed. Alex and George were already fast asleep. She was alerted to the presence when suddenly a fairy rose was dropped in front of her eyes into her lap… She looked quickly up and she saw him there bathed in an ethereal light. Her breath caught in her throat as he gazed at her. "So it's true. It _is_ you. You've come back..." she soon said to him softly. He held her gaze as he faded away into nothingness, an approving smile spreading across his lips.

Stardew

Willy stood at the end of the dock fishing in the rain. It was a gloomy summer day, but that was fine with him. He liked to fish in weather like this. Left him alone to his thoughts… But that day he _wasn't_ alone…

The farmer came, his path crossing the fisherman by chance. He came up to Willy and they began to fish together in silence. After some time, Willy tried to strike up a conversation with him. He spoke, the farmer listened quietly. Every so often the man would interject something, but those moments were rare… Then Willy began to speak of the merfolk he'd seen…

The mariner breathed the subject of the merfolk tentatively. Most people he told of his encounters laughed, say for the wizard, Evelyn, Elliot—who he was sure only devoured the stories to use as inspiration in his own writings—and Linus. Anyone else told him he'd been on the sea too long. However, the moment he mentioned the merfolk in caution to his companion, the farmer immediately become much more involved in their conversation. The farmer encouraged him to tell his tale. The farmer explained in detail the motive behind every action Willy had seen the merfolk take… Then the farmer began to speak of his own encounters, and of conversations that sounded more like councils or kinships. The farmer had asked if Willy should like to meet one some day. Willy had joked he was too old for that sort of thing. The farmer had looked out over the sea then left... Then the farmer came back, late in the evening as Willy was preparing to return to his shack, and in his hands he held a conch shell...

He waded into the water up to the waist and stood there. Willy paused, watching. The farmer lifted the shell to his lips and he blew loud and clear. It echoed loud and mournfully over the ocean… No less than a minute later the water rippled. Willy watched in wonder and awe, lips parting slowly, as from the sea four heads lifted, eyes peering barely above the surface. His heart skipped a beat and he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. He could hardly believe what it was he was seeing. Until this moment, all he had ever had to go by were glimpses of creatures that looked too human to be coincidental. Now… now everything had changed…

Their eyes fell on the farmer and vanished beneath the waves once more. Then they were there, lounging at the man's feet and gazing up at him as they spoke to one another in another tongue, a language Willy had never heard. Their heads turned to the fisherman, who was pretty sure he almost dropped dead when it happened. They approached him, taking in his appearance and curiously reaching up onto the docks to touch his clothing and skin as if fascinated, while _he_ stood like a statue. He wasn't sure if he could have moved even if he'd tried. Smiles parted their lips and they disappeared once more under the waves. He passed out unexplainably and woke the next morning in the spot he'd fallen.

 _He had heard their singing all that night in his dreams…_

He wondered if all of it had been a dream. The farmer was nowhere to be found, but from that day on the man became a more regular presence by the beach or the river when Willy fished. Willy didn't speak of that night to him again, whether or not it had been a dream or reality, and chose instead to continue to treat the farmer as if he was just another man. That he believed otherwise now was inconsequential. The farmer, he sensed, was actually grateful for the fact Willy's demeanor towards him hadn't changed… Then one day the farmer vanished…

Stardew

No one knew why it had happened, no one knew where he had gone. They feared some evil had befallen him. They searched everywhere they could. He was nowhere to be found. There were some signs he still existed. For instance, requests sent in letters or pinned on the billboard would be answered, but no one would see him drop off the things asked for. No one, it seemed, knew what had become of him. The only residents who appeared unconcerned about it were the children, the Wildman, the wizard, the old woman, and the fisherman. In fact, it was like they still saw him, and none of them acknowledged his vanishing when asked why they weren't concerned. It was… unsettling, but in time the other residents stopped asking. Asking was getting them nowhere anyway.

Elliott watched Vincent and Jas walk out of Cindersnap forest. A cluster of grapes was held in Vincent's hand, and Jas clutched a flower close to her, inhaling the scent. A Fairy Rose… Now, Elliott had been one of the many Jas had gone around to telling that it was the elf king who gave her the fairy roses. Elliott had also thought there had been something mythical about the farmer who had come among them. His writer's imagination had put the pieces together long ago. He knew who the man was. He'd known from the beginning. He'd gleaned it from the stories the Mayor and Robin spread about his beautiful farm. About how it didn't deserve to be called a farm and was more a garden, about how he never harvested a single thing he planted say for a few items, and yet seemed to be able to grow anything. He'd heard talk from Maru and Haley and Demetrius about the man's regular excursions to the Community Center. Elliott had gone in one day, after the man had left, and seen the scrolls on the ground and been mystified. He'd gone to the library and scanned the books there and read the fairy stories and had understood. Yes. He'd known from the beginning, from the farmer's reclusive nature down to his tendency to stick to the forests and river over anything else, what he was. Now, seeing the children exit the woods with their little gifts, he knew beyond doubt that it still lingered here…

He'd never confronted the fae about what he knew, not even when Jas's stories about how she came by her fairy roses all but solidified his theory about the 'farmer'. Elliott preferred to keep to his own reclusive lifestyle. House, beach, house, bridge, house, on occasion forest or saloon, house, very little else. He was off this 'erlking's' radar. He liked it that way, being an unknown and keeping to himself, but he couldn't stay silent this time. If the children still regularly saw it? Needless to say, that… didn't sit entirely well with him. To let them go on oblivious.

"Jas, where did you get such a beautiful blossom?" Elliott asked as she was passing by with Vincent.

"The Elf King gave it to me," she answered before slapping her hands over her mouth with a gasp. "I-I mean, I'm sorry. That-that just slipped out. Auntie and Shane told me not to tell stories about elves anymore or say that. He-he wasn't an elf. He was just the farmer! He…"

"Dear Jas, I believe you," Elliott said. She started, along with Vincent, and the two looked up at him with wide eyes. "You must be careful around the Elf King. Both of you," Elliott warned. "The fae are not toys to be played with. They are as dangerous as they are gentle, and as beautiful as they are unpredictable. The elf king, children, is just as likely to throw you under a curse as he is to grant you a wish."

"He can do that?!" Vincent exclaimed.

"Never make wishes or bargains with the fae. Both their yes and their no mean the same thing. Unless you are very, very particular with your words, you put yourself at risk of a wish ending… very badly," Elliott said.

"What do you mean?" Vincent asked.

Elliott hummed, thinking over his answer. Soon he knelt in front of them. "What do you wish for most?" he asked them.

"Daddy to come home," Vincent answered sadly.

"My parents to come back," Jas quietly said, hanging her head.

"Let's… try wishes that won't have such, um, disheartening—that is upsetting—explanations," Elliott replied, grimacing. Wish for someone to come home, they may indeed come home. In a body bag. Or different than you remembered them. Wish for the dead to come back, he need not go into detail about all the ways that could go wrong. He doubted the elf king had _that_ kind of power, but better safe than sorry. The children looked uncertain. He thought a moment. It seemed _he_ would have to make up the example. "Pretend there is woman who very much wants a child of her own, but she cannot have one."

"Why can't she?" Jas asked, frowning in concern.

"Because… because something is wrong inside of her. She goes to find the Fair Folk and she bargains with them for a baby to call her own. They give her one."

"How can that go bad?" Jas wondered.

"Because the baby never grows up. It stays a baby. Forever. It never gets older, always stays little," Elliott replied.

"Why?" Vincent asked.

"Because a baby was all she'd asked for. The faeries kept their promises," Elliott said. "So, when I say be careful with the elf king, be _very_ careful with him. Ask of him nothing, let _him_ do the offering. Listen to every warning he gives you, he gives them for a reason… And if anything ever goes wrong or happens, find me. I'll do all I can to help you fix it. There are wishes that cannot be loop-holed, if one selects the right words and puts them in the right order. No one in this town is better at words than me."

"How would you fix _our_ wishes?" Vincent asked.

"That I won't tell you, because I'm concerned you'd actually try to ask them of him, and just because _I_ can't see a loophole doesn't mean _he_ won't be able to," Elliott answered.

"Elliott, please," Vincent pled. "I won't ask him, I promise! Daddy's coming home soon anyway, so I don't need to."

Elliott was quiet, thinking it over. "I would wish for my father to come back alive and well and the same as I remembered him being," he soon answered. Vincent paled. He caught on, now, to how wishing for his father to come back could have otherwise ended without specification. Jas didn't even ask to have _her_ wish specified.

"Will they always cheat you?" the girl questioned.

"To say they cheat you is debatable, they keep their word to the letter, but I understand your question. No, I don't suppose they _would_ always cheat you. They choose for themselves how to grant a request, they choose for themselves how dumb they play it, they just… tend to lean towards the more mischievous or ambiguous decisions. However, he seems to be quite fond of you two. I do believe that if you wished for anything he knew was a mistake, he would try and warn you before agreeing to grant it. But who can know the elfin king's mind and heart?" Elliott answered.

"Is he safe?" Vincent asked.

Elliott smiled ruefully. "There is no one safer… And no one more dangerous… Know how to handle him, and you'll be alright. You've been fine so far, after all," he said. He sent the children off with a smile… Then he felt eyes on him… His smile fell, and he looked around quickly. He saw nothing, but the feeling never left… The farmer didn't seek him out, the farmer didn't grant him gifts, but the farmer _did_ begin to appear to him in his dreams...

 _The elf king knew that he knew…_

Stardew

Now there were those whose brains were wired for logic and reason, and there were those whose brains were wired for creativity and feeling. Each had their strong point, each had their fair points, neither part was better than the other, neither part was wrong or right. Sometimes logic was more useful than creativity, sometimes creativity was more useful than logic. Harvey was a very practical man, solidly based in logic. Elliot was a very fanciful one. Harvey saw what was in front of him, Elliott saw beyond. They weren't what you'd call close friends, and rarely would you see them together without it ending in some sort of argument. Nevertheless, Elliott did still have his health to look out for, and Harvey did still have his job to do, so it was inevitable they'd cross paths. Be it at the saloon or the clinic, they'd cross paths. In a village so small it was impossible not to. In the saloon they could ignore each other or engage in at least a little small talk before going their separate ways. In the clinic not so much.

Harvey listened to Elliot's chest through the stethoscope, monitoring it. Soon he withdrew it. "You're healthy as always, Elliott," he said.

"Thank you, doctor," Elliott replied. "I do try."

"You succeed," Harvey answered, standing up and returning the stethoscope to its place as Elliott lowered his shirt again and rose to get his jacket. "Elliott, I have… a question for you."

"You know how well such things end between us, dear doctor," Elliott replied.

"I know. And I don't expect it will end differently this time either, but I need to know," Harvey replied.

Elliott sighed. "I had so hoped to avoid argument today. Very well. What is it?"

"Have you been encouraging Jas and Vincent's fantasies about an elfin king in the forest?" Harvey directly asked, turning to Elliott and leaning against the counter.

"Fantasy? Dr. Harvey, I can assure you those children are far from living in a fantasy. The elf king is very much real, and very much out there," Elliott replied.

"That's preposterous, Elliott, and you know it," Harvey said. "There are no such things as elves. If there ever were, they went extinct long ago."

"And yet one lives and walks among us," Elliott replied. "From out of the mouths of babes, and all that. Sometimes, doctor, children know and understand things few adults could ever hope to. I wouldn't be so quick to write off Jas and Vincent's claims as fantasy, were I you."

"You're as fanciful as them," Harvey said, frowning deeply.

"And Evelyn, evidently. I get the distinct impression she believes them as well. I get the distinct impression she isn't the only one," Elliott replied. "So many in this village are blinded by what they can see in front of them, like you and Demetrius and most certainly Shane, and never think that perhaps there really _is_ more to some stories than there appears to be at first glance. A curse more than a blessing, I'm afraid. Alas, even many of the more creative thinkers in this town can't fathom the idea of there perhaps being something more to the children's story of elves. Admittedly I'm more than a little disappointed in both Leah and Penny for brushing it off as just children's imaginings. I expected more from them. Doctor, there is a wizard living in our midst and a veteran fisherman who swears on his life he's seen merfolk. We have a museum curator who identifies dwarven artifacts on a regular basis, we have a mine full of monsters of all sorts one never would have believed existed, and you brush off Vincent and Jas's story as mere fantasy? Frankly it's… well, it's embarrassing," Elliott replied.

"Don't lord it over me, Elliott. What's embarrassing is a full-grown man believing in fairy tales!" Harvey snapped slightly sharper than he'd intended to.

Elliott hummed, examining Harvey in silence with an unimpressed and slightly disdainful frown spreading over his lips. He thought over his answer carefully. "So, you think there's nothing to the tales. Then why don't you enter those woods at night?" he asked.

"Because I never did," Harvey flatly replied. "There's no reason to go into the forest at night anyway. It's pointless."

"Being alone with one's thoughts and taking time to meditate on the day is never pointless," Elliott replied.

"I can do that at home reading a good book and sipping coffee," Harvey answered.

"It's pointless talking to you, Harvey. You, like Shane, are so set in your ways that you ignore everything that might challenge them. Can't teach an old dog new tricks, I suppose," Elliott insulted. Harvey started, offended at the slight against his age. Which wasn't that old, thank you very much! It wasn't as if Elliott was all that much younger than him. "Now if you've said your piece, I'd like to go. It's obvious there's no discussing this elf conundrum with you."

"I'll prove to you there's no elf king!" Harvey called after Elliott as Elliott made to leave.

Elliott froze in place, hand on the door. "What?" he asked after a moment, looking back with a guarded frown.

"I'll prove to you there's no elf king," Harvey repeated.

"How?" Elliott suspiciously asked, turning fully around and actually starting to seem a little concerned.

"I'll go into those woods tonight, after sunset. I'll explore them thoroughly, and I'll prove there's nothing to fear there," Harvey said. "And since the poor farmer is suspected of being somehow connected to this 'elf king', I'll even go so far as to enter his field and pick some strawberries from it. Maru loves those anyway. It wouldn't be a waste."

"No one has said anything about the farmer being connected to the stories. They've said he's strange, yes, but never claimed he was connected to this elf king the children speak of," Elliott bluntly stated. Harvey tensed up ever so slightly. "So, you _do_ have some apprehension of your own." Harvey remained quiet. Elliott tried to dissuade the doctor from his chosen course by making it sound as utterly unappealing and twisted as possible. "Now Harvey, you'd break your own moral code and steal from a man's private property?" Gods, if the doctor went through with this plot of his, he had more guts than anyone gave him credit for, including Harvey himself. No one else, even those who didn't believe the stories, liked to enter that forest or that farm without a damn good reason, and never at night since Jas and Vincent began talking about it. Just to be safe, no doubt. Harvey said nothing, though his jaw clenched slightly and he seemed a bit more uneasy about it. "It isn't worth it, Harvey. To prove a point? Why bother? You believe what you like, I'll believe what I like. No one has to break any laws or do anything stupid."

"These elf rumors have gone on long enough! _Someone_ needs to put a stop to them. For goodness sakes, we can't live in fear the rest of our lives. I'm betting this elf king is in fact the farmer, and I'm willing to guarantee he's just a man. Not some fairy tale creature, not some vassal of one, just a man who's…" Harvey began.

"Being singled out by even you who claims there is no elf, yet still understands there is something very, very not right about that farmer," Elliott cut off.

"There's nothing wrong with him! He's a human! I'm squashing these rumors once and for all. The forest is just a forest, the farm is just a farm, the elf is just a man. I'm so certain of it that yes, yes I _am_ going against my moral code to prove it," Harvey replied.

"Harvey, listen to me. Just-just say for one moment Vincent and Jas are right. Play devil's advocate and consider that there's a possibility the farmer is not a farmer at all. Let's say he really is fae. Do you truly want to risk your life and everything you know and love just to prove he isn't? No one's gotten hurt, no one's _going_ to be hurt. Children's fantasies aren't permeating lives, no one's being aversely affected by the rumors say for maybe the farmer himself, but even he hardly cares!" Elliott protested.

"Is that concern, Elliott?" Harvey asked, smirking amusedly.

"Against my better nature, yes," Elliott replied. "Yes, it's concern. Because what if, what _if_ , you're wrong?" Harvey was quiet. "Just… think about it. Please. For your own sake. If… if you do go, be sure you bring something iron with you. Preferably a weapon of some kind."

"Iron? Why?" Harvey incredulously asked.

"Just trust me. On that at least," Elliott answered. With that, he left Harvey to muse over his words. Uneasily the doctor shifted, looking down at the ground. He'd never liked what ifs…


	3. Summer - Part 2

**Summer - Part 2**

He ran frantically through the forest, pure terror in his eyes. He leapt over logs and rocks, darted around or through bushes scratching and ripping his skin. He barely felt it and only hissed if he did. He just knew he couldn't stop running. He couldn't look back! He ran from a thicket and turned a corner only to stop dead in his tracks, catching his breath and going white as a ghost, covering his mouth and feeling his stomach churn and his heart drop. The farmer's glade. But-but how?! He had been going the complete opposite direction! How could he have possibly…? He heard a sound behind him and gave a cry, barrelling onto the property desperately and trying to disappear in the wheat and corn fields. But always he would catch a glimpse of a figure there, flitting in his peripheral vision, appearing at his side, always watching, always reaching out icy fingers to seize him and drag him to an unknown fate. He cried out in terror, throwing himself out of the way of what he could have sworn was a creature he was about to run into, only to find it was a scarecrow. Which really didn't make him feel safer. He darted into a patch of flowers surrounded by a fence of grape vines, and threw himself down on the ground, hiding himself there and covering his head, breaths wavering and body shaking from fear.

 _He sensed him before he heard or saw him…_

A glow passed nearby, and his heart almost stopped. He was there in the flowering field. Searching. He cursed his heart's pounding. Surely it was so loud it was giving him away! He almost wished it would stop… Of course, if this thing caught him it just might. "I know you're there," a voice, deep and stoic and chilling stated. "Why do you hide in the shadows? Why did you come into my fields? Into my forest? Why did you come?" Harvey let out a shuddering breath. He was asking himself the same thing… When he'd stood at the edge of the woods, everything inside of him had screamed at him to go back. To turn around and not enter. He'd defied it, insistently telling himself it was only nerves and that his imagination was getting the best of him. He'd tried to talk himself out of it by considering the threat of wild animals. Evidently, he hadn't succeeded at that. He'd been so determined to show them there was nothing to fear… And now he'd never been more terrified in his life… Now he knew that yes. _Oh_ yes there was something to fear. "Come. I only want to talk. I promise I will hear you. N'er do we break our promises." Harvey didn't move. He barely breathed.

 _He sensed him so close…_

"I will find you, mortal. And if I do, there will be no bargains to be made," the creature declared firmly. Another step closer. Another. Another. Only one or two more and he would be done. He couldn't-he couldn't do this, he couldn't! He couldn't! Oh gods forgive him!

He gasped and quickly got to his knees, gazing at the creature in terror. So beautiful and fair... Yet never had he seen something more utterly _horrifying_... "I'm sorry! I'm sorry I came, I'm sorry! I just-I just wanted to pick some berries for my… my nurse! She works so hard all the time and she's so kind with our patients and so beautiful and…" He slammed his mouth shut before he could further embarrass himself with that train of thought. "I just wanted her to have something she loved. As a thank you!" The creature was quiet, watching him with unreadable, soulless eyes. "I just… I only wanted to give her a gift, something precious to her. I'm not a warrior, my lord, I can't fight my way through the mines to find a diamond, and I certainly can't afford one, so the next best thing was-was something not as permanent that she would still be able to enjoy for a while."

"That is your claim, then?" the creature asked. "That is your truth?"

He was quiet, staring miserably and helplessly up at the creature. He knew there was no escaping this. Why, then, should he even bother lying or concealing the full story? "No… no, my lord. Only half of it. The other half… I didn't believe in your existence. I didn't believe the stories the children told. I didn't heed the warnings, I didn't listen to my instincts. I chalked them up to fantasy. I was so determined to prove to them there was nothing to fear in this forest. I was determined to prove to them that… that you were just a man… And that they had no right to spread rumors about you that made you a monster and made them so afraid to cross you. I wanted to prove elves were a myth and that you were safe."

"Are they frightened?" the creature questioned.

"Yes," he answered in a breath. " _So_ frightened. Even the ones like me who-who don't believe, and that's most of them."

"Am I to be feared?" the creature questioned.

Harvey was quiet. " _I'm_ afraid," he finally replied. "But that question is one I can't answer for you. Whether you are or aren't is up to you, I sense."

"Am I a monster?" the creature asked.

Again silence as the two stared at one another. "You… you are the elfin king… Whether that means you're a monster is up to you," he finally replied, hints of bravery and anger and defiance and challenge all coming into his voice.

The erlking tilted his head, silently summarizing the doctor who knelt waiting, trying to be strong but obviously near to collapse. The man knew that he could neither escape nor beg for anything from the elf. Only wait for his own fate to be decided, helpless to stop it whatever it might be. The erlking debated, then the erlking acted. All at once his hand shot out, wrapping around the mortal's neck. The physician gave a strangled scream as he was pulled from the ground!

Stardew

Rasmodius sensed the world twist. He awakened from sleep with a frightened gasp, eyes wide and filled with fear and uncertainty, heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He sat bolt upright, throwing off the covers and putting a hand to his head as he willed himself to calm down, feeling a panic attack setting in. He didn't know why he had woken in such a state. He only knew something was very, very, very wrong. He looked at his hands. They were shaking. _He_ was shaking. He swallowed tightly and rose, unsteady on his feet before catching his balance, willing away the feeling of faintness.

 _Something was so very, very wrong…_

He turned to his window and peered out it towards the elf king's domain.

 _Something had happened. Something so bad…_

Stardew

No one noticed the doctor's disappearance. It was as if he'd never existed in the first place. Not until the Luau was there the slightest inkling Harvey had ever existed. But from the mouths of babes…

"Where's Harvey?" Vincent wondered, looking around with a frown at all the townspeople here.

"Huh?" Jas asked. She peered around too. "Hey, he's not here," she said, surprised. "But he always comes to the festivals."

"I wonder if he's sick," Vincent said.

"We should ask Miss Maru," Jas replied.

"Okay," Vincent agreed, perking up. The two scrambled off to find Maru. Luckily, Maru wasn't very far.

"Excuse us Miss Maru!" Jas chirped as they came up to her.

Maru looked over. "Oh, hi Vincent, Jas. What's up?" Maru questioned. "Do I need to book you two in for a doctor's appointment?"

"No. We're not sick," Vincent replied grinning. "We just wanted to know where Mr. Harvey was."

Maru looked confused. "Who?" she asked.

Vincent and Jas started and exchanged surprised looks. They turned to Maru. "You know, Dr. Harvey," Vincent replied.

"Dr. Harvey? What are you two talking about? The only doctor available to us comes in from the city on weekends," Maru replied. Their eyes bugged wide.

"No!" Jas argued. "You're the nurse and Dr. Harvey's the doctor, and he's nice and always makes sure we're not scared, then if we've been good and if we're healthy he'll say that he thinks we should get a treat and asks you if the clinic has any rewards."

"Yeah! Then you say that you think you do, usually, and you get us little toys or other treats and you tell us we did really great, and then we say goodbye and you and Dr. Harvey, and you both wave as we go," Vincent backed.

"What? Vincent, Jas, are you two feeling alright? Aside from the city doctor, it's only me in that clinic. Alone. I'm the one who decides if you get a treat and then I pick special treats just for you," Maru said. The children looked bowled over. Maru shifted uncomfortably. This was weird. "Um, Marnie, Jodi, can you come here a minute?!" she called out.

Marnie and Jodi approached. "Is something the matter, Maru?" Jodi asked.

"Um, do either of you know a Doctor named Harvey?" Maru asked.

"No. Why?" Marnie asked.

Maru looked at the children, puzzled. "Because Vincent and Jas seem to think there's a doctor in the clinic named Harvey who's nice and likes to reward them if they're healthy or well-behaved," she replied.

"Vincent, is this another of your stories?" Jodi asked, frowning.

"N-no!" Vincent insisted. He couldn't _believe_ what they were hearing!

"Jas, is this going to be like the elf king?" Marnie questioned.

"What? Aunt Marnie, you know Harvey really well! You've known him for years," Jas exclaimed, shocked. Both Jodi and Marnie were uneasily silent.

"Sam, I need you for a minute!" Jodi called to her oldest.

"Shane, come here!" Marnie called to her nephew. Both turned curiously then came over.

"Do either of you know a doctor named Harvey?" Jodi asked when the two reached them.

"Why?" Sam questioned.

"Because Vincent and Jas are insisting there's a doctor in the clinic named Harvey who we've known for years," Marnie answered.

Both Sam and Shane were quiet. Shane soon sighed in exasperation and just walked away. "Shane!" Jas protested. "Shane, it's true! You know him really well too!"

"Make the appointment Aunt Marnie!" Shane called back, waving.

"What appointment?" Jas asked.

"The appointment you and Vincent apparently need to get your heads checked. Look, there's no man named Harvey in Stardew Valley," Sam said. "I mean, I know a couple guys named Harvey online, but both of them are miles from here. Countries even. There's no Harvey in the Valley." The children were quiet, stunned.

"Vincent, Jas, are you feeling okay?" Maru worriedly asked.

They snapped out of it. "There _is_ a Harvey who lives here, there _is_! He's a doctor and you're the nurse and he lives in the apartment above the clinic and he's nice and really, really cares about his patients and he's real! He's real!" Vincent screamed. Now all eyes were on the children, and a hush had fallen over the festival.

"Is something happening here?" Mayor Lewis asked, approaching as the others listened in.

"They're saying Dr. Harvey doesn't exist! Tell them he does, Mayor Lewis, tell them!" Jas said.

"Dr. Who? Children, I don't know what you're talking about," Lewis replied.

"The apartment above the clinic has been empty for years," Pierre confirmed. "No one lives there. Heck, I've been thinking of just tearing it out."

"Dr. Harvey lives there!" Vincent shouted.

"Vince, knock it off!" Sam sharply ordered his brother, making Vince gasp.

"Sam, be patient. You're scaring him," Jodi soothed.

"He's being ridiculous!" Sam protested.

"There is no Dr. Harvey in Stardew Valley, little ones. Don't turn this into an elf king incident, please? Not while the Governor is here," Mayor Lewis pled. The children could only gape. When it was apparent they had no further arguments to give, the adults drifted off and Maru took Marnie and Jodi aside to discuss making appointments for the two little ones.

Vincent and Jas stood there dejected and a little scared. They looked around nervously and spotted Elliott still lingering, looking intrigued. "Elliott, you believe us, right?" Jas hopefully asked.

Elliot was quiet. After a moment he shifted and looked around cautiously. Soon he turned back to them. "I don't know a Dr. Harvey. I've never heard of anyone of that name living here… Were you any less adamant than you are, I perhaps would believe it was only a story, but you're more firm about this than you even were about the elf, and you were right about the elf, so I'm not so quick to dismiss your claim. But how do you explain everyone else suddenly forgetting the existence of this 'Harvey'?"

"I… we don't know…" Jas answered, bowing her head.

"Maybe it was the elf king!" Vincent said.

"But the elf king is nice!" Jas protested.

"But only in the day. No one's crossed him at night or knows what he does if you do," Vincent said. "You said Mrs. Mullner told you to be careful and that he wasn't evil but wasn't good too, and Elliott warned us to be careful and to listen to his warnings. What if Harvey didn't? What if at night the elf king isn't so nice anymore? Or something happened that made him mad at Harvey? Could… could he wipe Harvey from existence…?"

"That is beyond the power of an elf," Elliott replied, thinking. "However, what _isn't_ beyond their power is trickery and mind games." He had read long ago of the illusions of the elf king, how powerful they were. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility that the creature could have bent the minds of the townspeople to forget Harvey existed… Which wasn't promising for this 'Harvey's' fate. It meant the man, if he had indeed existed, could very well be dead or enthralled or imprisoned at this very moment.

"How do we find out for sure? How do we save Dr. Harvey?" Jas woefully asked.

Elliott inwardly grimaced. He wasn't sure if there was anything left of this 'Dr. Harvey' to _save_. But they had to try. "I shall help you," he said to the little ones. They looked hopefully up at him. "I shall help you try and find him and solve this little mystery of yours. It should be quite thrilling, actually. I relish the challenge. It may even inspire a new book."

"You're really going to help us? You really believe?" Vincent asked.

"I really am, and I really do," Elliott confirmed. "And I know just where to start, loathe as I am to do so. Meet me outside the woods after the Luau. We'll discuss the plan from there."

"Yes sir!" they both said, saluting him with grins then hurrying off to try and enjoy the festival before it was totally ruined for them, if it hadn't already been.

Stardew

Elliott watched after the children. "How dare you fill their heads with that crap!" an enraged voice demanded, and Elliott winced. Uh oh.

The author turned around slightly sheepishly. "Maru," he replied in greeting.

"Are you kidding Elliott? What are you doing humoring them?" Maru asked. "I get children should be allowed to use their imaginations, but when it gets to the point they actually start believing one of their fantasies is real? That's a mental health concern, not a fun game! You know full well no one named Harvey ever lived here."

"Actually, I _don't_ know full well whether anyone named Harvey ever lived here," he replied, puffing up angrily. "In fact, there are a great _many_ things I don't know, and you'd do well to take that attitude yourself."

"Unbelievable. First elves now an imaginary doctor. This is getting ridiculous," Maru said with a frustrated sigh.

"What if they're right, Maru?" Elliott asked.

"They aren't," Maru replied.

"There's no reason that they should be so adamant a doctor by the name of Harvey lived here just out of the blue! They've never mentioned an imaginary friend named Harvey before today, now suddenly they're spewing off this tale so vehemently and insistently that they're actually getting upset no one is believing them. A child is very, very good at fantasy, but no child could describe a character they crafted in their heads with such consistent and lucid detail, right down to exact words and living space of said character! Always a child's stories change, waxing and waning as they find other little things to add in, but there were no additions to this. There was nothing but raw truth in their voices. Tell me you didn't hear it!" Maru was silent. Elliott took it as a sign of victory. He huffed, straightening his jacket. "Before you go off tossing aside their suspicions as if they're nothing, I would suggest maybe you entertain the possibility they're the ones in the right."

"But they aren't!" Maru insisted. "I would know if I was working with someone!"

"You would, I admit, so let me ask you this. Can you truthfully say to me, completely unwaveringly, that their tale didn't spark in you any inkling of doubt and uncertainty at all? Can you truthfully say to me that you really don't feel there's anything missing in any capacity at all?" Elliott challenged. She kept quiet, looking ever so slightly uncertain. "If they happen to be correct, then something horrid has happened and it needs to be fixed or dealt with. If they're correct, something occurred that is potentially world changing, and that is hardly a matter you just shrug off. Perhaps, Maru, you should search for the truth _yourself_ before declaring the imaginings of a child a fantasy. Good day." Turning on his heel, he marched off. She watched after him uneasily, then looked towards the clinic with a measure of uncertainty.

Stardew

Elliott met up with the Vincent outside of his home. The little boy was trying to sneak out a window and fell. Luckily into Elliott's arms. Elliott smirked at him, shaking his head. Vincent grinned sheepishly, flushing. Elliott chuckled and put him down on the ground, and the two slipped away to Marnie's ranch. Jas had already snuck outside by the time they arrived, and she went directly to them looking uneasily at the sky. "It's almost dark. The elven king said not to come into the forest after sunset," she uneasily stated.

"Don't fear, children. All will be well," Elliott assured. "We're going directly to the Wizard's tower, and he can help us. I'm sure of it. Or at least there we can find some answers."

"Okay," Jas uncertainty replied.

"Let's do it!" Vincent cheered.

"Shh!" Elliott and Jas both hissed. Vincent winced and muttered an apology under his breath. Elliott walked into the forest, keeping the children close by him just in case something dangerous was indeed lurking… He could swear he felt eyes on them and could swear he heard whispers in the wind…

It wasn't a lengthy walk to the tower, thankfully. They got there as the last light faded in the sky and darkness consumed. Elliott knocked firmly at the door, praying the wizard would answer. No response. He knocked again, louder. Nothing. He raised his hand to knock a third time, but all at once the door swung open. Jas and Vincent gasped, jumping back a bit. Elliott blinked in surprise, then a wave of unease came over him. He looked back at the children, then into the tower, then drew a deep breath and stepped inside, taking their hands firmly and getting ready to run and drag them right along with him if he had to.

"What's your business here?" a voice said in the dark. Candles lit up as if by magic, and they saw the wizard standing behind his cauldron glowering suspiciously.

"A bit of a conundrum I'm afraid, good sir," Elliott answered. "You see, the children here are insistent there's a townsperson missing. The only trouble is, no one but them has any recollection of this townsperson at all. Including me."

"Yet you're helping them," the wizard remarked.

"I've long believed children know more than we give them credit for," Elliott answered. "I believed their tales of the elf king too. I fear that perhaps this disappearance may be linked to him."

The wizard was quiet. "Who is it that's missing?" he finally asked.

"The doctor. His name is Harvey," Jas replied. "Maru says a city doctor comes in, but she's wrong."

"And they say Dr. Harvey's home has been empty for years, but it hasn't! If they just went up to look they'd see, but they won't. And Pierre says he's thinking of tearing it down, but he can't!" Vincent added.

"That's it," Rasmodius whispered, more to himself than them.

"What's it?" Vincent asked.

Rasmodius looked up quickly, as if just remembering they were there. "That's the reason I woke up a few nights ago near panic! That's the reason I felt like something had gone horribly, horribly wrong, because it did! A man went missing. A man's memory was wiped from existence!"

"And… and the man himself…?" Elliott asked cautiously, hoping the children didn't understand his own personal concerns.

The wizard seemed to catch on, quickly sobering. "Children, why don't you go browse my library? I need to talk to your friend here," he soon said. The children looked uncertain and turned to Elliott. He nodded at them, offering a smile. They shifted uneasily but soon obeyed.

When they were gone, Elliott approached the wizard. "Was the doctor wiped from existence as well, or only the memory of him? Is… is the man still alive?" he asked.

"I don't know," the wizard solemnly replied. "I can try to catch wind of his lifeforce, but it won't be easy. If this is indeed one of the elf king's illusions…"

"I know," Elliott cut off grimly. If the elf king didn't want this 'Harvey' found, he wouldn't be found unless they went right to the source, and even then it was a tossup.

The wizard began to brew something and soon scooped some of it up into a cup. He laid the cup down, peering into it. Elliott peered too. Nothing was there. Just blackness. The wizard's frown deepened. "There's nothing," the man finally said.

"Wait, look," Elliott said, pointing out a faint shimmer in the liquid. Rasmodius squinted and drew back slowly, lips parting. "Is it him?" Elliott asked.

"It is. He exists, but his lifeforce… it's barely there," Rasmodius answered.

"What does it mean?" Elliott asked.

"I don't know. Perhaps a trance, perhaps enthralled. Something's happened, and he's trapped and can't escape. Not on his own. He needs help… He needs help soon… If that help doesn't come, then one of two things will happen. Either the erlking will grow bored with his new decoration and end him once and for all, or he'll remain entranced for the rest of his days. And the longer he stays that way, the less he'll be remembered until even the children and I will forget he ever was. There's a time limit. It's a limit the elf king has granted. A strange sort of mercy, but a mercy nonetheless. There is a chance he can be saved, but it _must_ be soon."

"How soon?" Elliott asked.

"Maybe a week, maybe a day, maybe we have only until tomorrow, who can tell? The sooner he can be rescued the better. If we dally too long…" the wizard gravely began.

"Then there'll be nothing to save. Rather, there will be, but _we'll_ not know it," Elliott said.

"No one will, and he'll be imprisoned forever," Rasmodius confirmed. "He did something wrong. It's likely he stumbled on something he shouldn't have, or took a liberty that truly incensed the elf king. That woodland sprite isn't pleased. Should he come to me, as he often did in spring, I will try to argue for Harvey's freedom. Your job is to do the bargaining itself, or the rescuing. Whichever you need to. Just get him out as quickly and as soon as you possibly can… And be careful lest _you_ end up like him next." Elliott nodded. "Keep the children out of this as best you can. They may well be the trump cards in this endeavor. He's fond of them, very much so. They might be the last resort if nothing else works." Elliott nodded in understanding. "Do you dare to try and bring the little ones home tonight? If not, you may stay here."

"If the elf king is fond of them, then with luck we'll be alright," Elliott answered.

"Hmm… Hold on," the wizard said. He snapped his fingers, vanishing. After a bit he reappeared, making Elliott jump in surprise. "Travel along the lower part of the lake, don't go up the sides or past where the trader usually stays. If you stray away from the lower lake, you'll doom yourself and them. He's out tonight, on the prowl, but he's staying close to his farm. His dance won't be heard or seen. He'll go into the secret forest for that. Your job is to avoid him _until_ then." Elliott nodded then went to fetch the children and bring them home as quickly and silently as possible. He would fix this. He'd be sure of it, he vowed to himself.

Stardew

He gazed at her house quietly. He knew she'd probably laugh him out when he told her of his plan, but he felt obligated to at least try to get her to understand. He let out a breath and approached the door, knocking on it lightly. He heard her shuffling inside. Soon she came to it, opening it slightly. She frowned curiously. "Elliott?" she asked, opening the door fully.

"Greetings Leah," Elliott replied. "The summer air is simply marvellous, don't you agree?"

"I do. Not that I'm not happy to see you, I am, but why have you come here?" Leah questioned.

He was quiet, thinking the answer over. "I'm going to find Harvey," he said.

"Harvey?" Leah asked, confused. She remembered the Luau, then, and her expression softened and became concerned. "Oh Elliott, there's no such person as Harvey. He's a story concocted by two overactive imaginations. There was never a Harvey who lived here that I've heard of."

"He exists, and I'm going to find him and bring him back," Elliott firmly stated. "I know this will sound completely mad to you, but I feel I have little to lose at this point. Either I succeed, and all is fixed, or I fail and become just as he is now. Forgotten. The Elf King has him, Leah, and I know what you're going to say, that the elf king is just another of Vincent and Jas's fantasies, but you do know what I will reply with, don't you?"

Leah looked concerned, then resigned. "That just because we can't see or understand something doesn't mean it isn't there. That too often people brush off as impossible the things that are and the things that could be. That children know more than we give them credit for… And it all boils down to you believe in him. You believe he exists. He's as real to you as he is to those children, and you don't care who is of the same mind and who isn't, because you _know_ it's so. You feel it," she said.

He smiled softly. "I have a sudden and inexplicable urge to kiss you," he murmured.

"I don't kiss madmen," Leah answered, smirking in amusement.

"Then you're missing out," he answered.

She giggled softly, looking down and blushing. Her smile fell and she soon looked up again, concern written on her face. "On the off-chance you're right, and Vincent and Jas are right, you said you could end up just like this missing Harvey person… Is it worth the risk, Elliott? To chase a fantasy you can't know is real or isn't?"

"The preservation of a life and of a man's memory, if I cannot save the life, is worth all the risk in the world," Elliott replied.

"A man that might not even exist," Leah said.

"He _does_ ," Elliott answered.

"You might not come back," Leah frustratedly insisted, pulling at her braid nervously.

"Then I will end up just as he ended up. Unnoticed and unmissed," Elliott replied.

"Don't do that!" Leah shot.

"It's what's become of _him_ ," Elliott answered, and she winced. "At least he won't be alone in it, should I fail."

"Elliott!" Leah said, about to argue. She was cut off when his lips lightly brushed against hers and stayed for a moment. He drew back. Her breath was still held as her head spun a bit from the surprise of it. His lips tasted good, she noted before kicking herself for the thought. She let out a shaky stream of air and looked up at him in surprise.

"Farewell, Leah," he said, bowing to her at the waist with a slight smile, then turning and quickly leaving. Leah gaped after him in concern. She nibbled her lower lip, looking towards the farmer's land. What if… what if he was right…?

Stardew

Maru stared at the empty apartment doors, holding a pen to her mouth and nervously drumming her fingers. She couldn't get Elliott's words out of her head. She shifted uncomfortably, biting her lip and straightening up. She looked around. Was there a key to it, she wondered? It was just to ease her mind, she told herself! Of course this 'Harvey' didn't exist. She'd know if he did. She just… wanted the confirmation so her mind could stop nagging at her and telling her to go see to be certain. She'd walk up the stairs, she'd find the place empty, and she could put to rest her tumultuous thoughts once and for all.

 _But what if Elliott was actually right…?_

No, that was ridiculous! She frowned, steeling herself, and began rummaging around for a key to it. There had to be one somewhere. Why didn't she know where it was? This was _her_ clinic! She went into an office and paused. Keys were there, laying on a desk. She stared at them. She… didn't remember having keys there. After a moment she went to them, picking them up. There was an H engraved on one, and a chill prickled up and down her spine. She looked nervously back. After a moment of gathering her courage, she went to the doors to the apartment, inserted the keys, took a breath, then turned them… The lock clicked…

Maru swallowed and stepped inside, looking around. She looked up the steps then began to climb them carefully. She cracked open the door at the top and peered in. She gasped, throwing it open with eyes wide. This was _not_ an empty apartment. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with both her hands. Someone was living here! Shaking, she stepped further inside and began rummaging almost frantically, searching for answers. How could this be? This apartment hadn't been used for as long as she'd lived here! Had it? Maybe it was a haunt of the Wildman Linus? It had to be! This couldn't be real! Her thoughts stopped dead when her eyes found a picture. A picture of a handsome brown-haired man sporting glasses and a mustache who looked to be in his thirties or forties, thereabouts. She gave a strangled gasp, reaching out a shaking hand and tracing the face. Who was this man?

 _You know who it is…_

"H-Harvey?" she asked almost timidly, as if the picture could speak. But-but no! Harvey didn't exist! He was a figment of the children's imaginations. He wasn't a… Oh god, he was real… Maybe he'd died long ago? Maybe the kids were seeing ghosts! Oh, what was she thinking, there were no such things! She turned over the picture. Dated last year.

 _I took this picture when you weren't expecting it. You just looked so natural and so at ease. I couldn't resist that classy pose and your ponderous gaze. I really don't know why you don't like pictures, Harvey. You take great ones. I just wish I had Haley's photographic skills so I could do you even more justice._

 _-Love Maru_

She covered her mouth with a hand again, shaking now as she turned the picture back around to look at the man in it. How could she not remember him? Why couldn't she remember?! She had to have known him well to have written such an intimate message to him, she _had_ to have! Why the heck couldn't she remember?! It was freaking her out. She felt on the verge of panic. She felt sick and scared and uncertain. What was this even?! This didn't make sense! You didn't just forget the people you cared about overnight! Well, with some medical exceptions, but that wasn't the point! How could she have forgotten?

She slammed down the picture, catching her breath. She had to leave. She had to get out of here! She turned to go and froze. There, lying on a surface, was a journal. She stared at it, holding her breath, then let the air out in a stream and went to it uneasily, picking it carefully up and opening it to the last few entries…

 _Summer 7th_

 _I don't know what I would do without Maru here to help me. I'm so grateful to her. She's a godsend. She works so hard, and she's so good with our patients, and so kind, and so helpful. She's sweet, she's smart, she's witty… I really, really like her. A lot… More than I should, I fear… She's still so young, and me? I'm only kidding myself. What reason could there possibly be for a girl like her to bother looking twice at an older man? One day she'll find someone closer to her age, and I know they'll be just so happy. I will be content to watch from the sidelines. I have to be. Maru, I wish you all the happiness in the world. May you always have everything you desire._

 _Summer 8th_

 _Maru's birthday is on the tenth. I've decided I want to get her something nice. A thank you for putting up with me, I suppose, and to express my gratefulness to her. I want to give her a present just as special to her as she is to me, but I can't afford to. I know she loves diamonds. They're one of her favorite things. I wish I could afford one. I wish I had the courage to go_ _ **find**_ _one. But I don't, to my shame. She loves battery packs, but that hardly seems very special a thing to give her. Then again, my only other options are the foods and fruits she loves. Perhaps I will go with the fruits. Strawberries are one of her favorite things, in season, and replenishable. Perhaps I should just keep a bowl of strawberries filled and accessible for her pleasure all season long. It isn't half of what she deserves, but right now with things as rough as they are, it's the best I can do._

 _Spring 9th_

 _I think I might be in love with her. Maru that is. I wish I had the courage to tell her…_

 _I'm going to get the strawberries for her now, and in the process put to rest these ridiculous rumors of an elfin king in the forest. I hope Elliott's nonsense about said elf king is truly just nonsense. I must admit, he… got to me more than I'd like to confess._

Maru had read enough. She slammed the book shut, took it, and marched right out, eyes filled with conflicted emotions. Confusion, concern, guilt, desperation, amongst others. She knew what she had to do. She had to find Elliott! If this was all true, he might be the only one with a clue as to how to fix this and make things right! If Harvey had really existed—Harvey _did_ exist—she wanted him back! If only so she could demand answers and freak out at him for doing something this stupid, whatever it was he'd done that got him in this predicament. How could a whole community just forget the existence of one of their own? It wasn't like they were a big community! They were so small, in fact, that literally everyone knew everyone! Elliott. She had to find Elliott.

Stardew

She found him as he was walking up from the beach. "Elliott!" she called out, running towards him. He paused, turning curiously. He gasped as suddenly she was there in front of him, pressing the journal into his hands. "I believe the children's stories," she said breathlessly. "Please, bring him back. You have to bring him back! Is there anyway I can help?"

Elliott, more than a little taken aback by the sudden turnaround, took a moment to process her question. He considered her words, looked towards the forest uneasily, then turned back. "Tell Penny to meet me at the library. Immediately. Leave the rest to me," he answered.

"What's Penny supposed to do?" she questioned.

"Just trust me, dear Maru," Elliott answered. Maru looked hesitant but then nodded, hurrying off. Elliott looked at the journal and flipped it open to the last entries, reading through them. He winced. No wonder there had been so sudden a turnaround, he dryly noted. Goodness but the doctor knew how to write. Perhaps they had something in common after all.

Stardew

Penny listened in disbelief to Elliott's explanation of events, and stared in shock at the journal and picture Maru had shown her. Well, Maru had brought her the picture to convince her to this meeting, and now Elliott was showing her the journal, so really there was no further denying a man named Harvey was certainly supposed to be living here with them. With that damning evidence in her face, she was also forced to start to admit to herself that just maybe the children had been right about an elf in the woods too… She hoped they were. It would be so fantastical. Albeit if he had something to do with Harvey's non-existence, it could also be frightening.

"I'm going to try and get him back," Elliott said.

Penny quickly looked up at Elliott, eyes wide. "What? Why you?" she questioned in concern. She admittedly really, really liked Elliott. Not like a lover, though she'd nursed a bit of a crush on him when he'd first come to Stardew Valley, but as more an older-sibling figure and mentor. They bonded over their love of writing and books, but her crush had eventually become something more platonic. She would go to him for advice, he would provide it. She would ask him questions about the books she read, if he knew those books he'd help explain them. She would hide away with him when her mother was being overbearing, he'd help ease her day and take her out for a boat ride or teach her some piano. He even would help her with her curriculum for Jas and Vincent, so yes. She was close to the writer. He was her teacher, he was her brother, he was her friend. She… she didn't want to lose him…

"Because with the fae one must be most shrewd and cautious with their words, and…" he began.

"There's no one in this valley more skilled with words than you," Penny finished for him, understanding immediately. If anyone could make a bargain with the Fair Folk that was airtight, it would _be_ Elliott.

"Precisely," Elliott confirmed, nodding.

"So why come to me?" Penny asked.

"Because I need you to be my contingency plan in case _I_ fail too," he answered, and her heart sank to hear those words spoken so bluntly. "Then with luck, at least you will know as well exactly what is happening. You may even succeed where I failed and was forgotten. I want you to keep a record of my existence, just to be safe, and keep it close to you always. Then should anything happen to me, should I suffer the same fate Harvey has, at least there will be hope in you."

"I-I don't know if I can," she modestly and shyly remarked, bowing her head.

Gently he tilted her chin up with a finger to make her look at him. "Penny, you _can_. You will. I trust in you," he reassuringly said.

"If the elf king really does exist, you're insane to go and try to bargain with him," she protested.

"I know," he answered.

"Oh no. Jas and Vincent! They're playing in the woods right now. What if he finds them?" she fearfully questioned.

"The erlking is fond of them. He will leave them be. It's quite likely the only reason he went after Harvey was because the good doctor made a mistake. Said or did something wrong that antagonized him," Elliott answered. "The erlking is not evil, Penny. Nor is he heroic."

"He just is," she finished for him quietly. "I know. I've read enough fairy stories to understand that."

"Can you do this, Penny?" he asked.

"Do you believe in me or not?" she quietly asked.

"I do. But I need _you_ to believe in you too," he replied. "Because if you don't… I don't want anything to happen to you, but if he senses weakness or uncertainty in you, then you doom yourself. You know that, right?"

"Yes," she answered quietly.

"I need you to believe in yourself, sister. For my sake and yours both," Elliott reiterated yet again.

She looked up at him a long moment before straightening up a bit more, hardening herself. "Yes," she answered. "I'll do it. If something goes wrong, and it better not, I'll pick up where you left off." And probably do more too. Like rally the townspeople, because she was unsure any one of them could take on this force alone.

"Good girl. Be safe, Penelope," Elliott replied. He kissed her cheek gently before turning and leaving her with the journal and picture of Harvey. Penny stared at them and realized with a sinking feeling that she had no memento of Elliott with which to recognize him if she forgot. Quickly she set to writing down her interaction with him as she thought about the problem. Leah. Leah probably had a likeness of him carved somewhere. That would be a starting point should the worst happen. She made a note of that. At least if Leah had something, Penny would know what she was looking for if this didn't end well. But it would! It had to…

Stardew

Elliott made his way towards the Elven King's glade cautiously, butterflies flittering in his stomach and nerves aflutter. He paused outside the entrance. He saw the lights. He drew a breath and approached, plugging his ears with earplugs and drawing carefully near, though being sure not to step into the circle of light. He crouched low, crawling carefully through the fields, and watched as the Elven King danced with the Junimos hopping all around him dancing along, and… and _fairies_. Elegant and graceful. Elliott softly caught his breath. It was true… It was all true… It was so beautiful to see… So utterly beautiful… He felt his eyes almost misting, felt a sudden urge to just stay there forever and watch, but he couldn't lose sight of why he was here. He couldn't let himself fall under the spell.

He crawled nearer ever so slightly, then crouched behind the grape vines, peering cautiously from behind them. Then he saw Harvey and stiffened. The man was enveloped by ivy crawling all over his body, keeping him in place though it didn't look like he would have moved even if he'd been free. He was entranced, Elliott realized immediately. Utterly and completely helpless to do anything but gaze in awe at the fairy dance. The writer almost felt like _he_ was about to get caught in the illusion too, and so he knew he had to act now or not at all. If he waited much longer, he would be as helplessly enthralled as Harvey was. He rose, pulling out the earplugs stopping up his ears.

"Elfin King, I come to bargain for the freedom of the man you've ensnared and whose memory you've erased from the minds of all those who knew him!" Elliott called out. The Junimos disappeared with surprised squeals. The fairies scattered in alarm with little gasps. The elf king stayed still, not turning. Soon, however, he did, and the look in his eyes told Elliott that if he didn't play this game correctly, he was a doomed man.

"Who are you to come upon my land uninvited and interrupt me and my kin at our merrymaking?" the erlking coolly answered.

"Who am I? A doomed man, should I fail, but I was prepared for such an outcome," Elliott answered.

The Elven King silently read him. "What is this mortal prize to you that you would risk everything for his sake?" the fae soon questioned.

"My doctor," Elliott answered. The elf snorted, biting back a laugh as if he couldn't believe the answer. As if he couldn't believe a mortal with no deep connection to another would be willing to risk his life for said other. "Do you find it so hard to believe I would be willing to risk death to save a mere acquaintance?" Elliott questioned, approaching Harvey and stopping in front of him with back turned to the elf in a show of boldness, certainty, and defiance. He examined the enthralled doctor in silence, who was seeming to come out of the trance he'd been in now that the dancing and singing were done. Lucidity appeared to be coming back to his eyes. Elliott looked him over and spotted something at his hip. A long, thin, iron shard. It wasn't meant to be a weapon, Elliott realized. It was meant to be a poison. It was sharp enough to pierce the body. Not kill, but pierce and stick and poison the fae from inside. The Author smirked to himself. Clever, clever doctor. He was impressed. Harvey had taken his advice after all. Subtly he slid it free of the ivy and Harvey and kept it near to him. The elf king was quiet. Elliott turned to him again. "I want to bargain for his freedom."

Again, no response. The fae just stared. "E-Elliott?" Harvey mumbled, voice weak and hoarse and exhausted. "What-what are you doing here? Where am…" Harvey caught his breath and fell silent. He'd remembered. Elliott looked back, giving him a smile. "Take heart, dear doctor. Everything is under control."

"Elliott, what are you doing?" Harvey asked, pale as a ghost. Elliott simply winked and turned back to the elf. Harvey could only gape, trying to figure out the writer's plan, trying to get into his head. It was no easy feat to anticipate what the man might be doing, but none of what the doctor was concluding was good.

"How is it you came to remember him?" the erlking asked.

"Your illusions didn't touch the children. They remembered. I simply believed. The poetic mind of an author, I suppose," Elliott answered. "I believed, and I acted."

The elfin king remained silent a moment more. "You have nothing to bargain," he soon answered.

"Come now, what terrible slight did he dishonor you with that he deserves this fate?" Elliott asked. "There is always an arrangement that can be made."

"I should happily exchange his freedom for yours," the elven king answered, unimpressed with this turn of events.

"I have another proposition," Elliott said, approaching him. The elf king warily watched. Suddenly Elliott withdrew the iron shard he'd taken from Harvey and drove it into the body of the elven king! The fae stiffened, making a sound of pain as his hands went automatically to where the shard had entered him. His lips parted in disbelief and he looked slowly down at where it had been driven.

"Oh my god!" Harvey exclaimed. Slowly the elf king looked back up, shocked.

"Iron, a poisonous, unnatural metal to your sort if memory serves. Now I can't pretend to know much about elfin weakness, but I would guess iron embedded in your body can hardly be good for you. Even if it shouldn't kill you, I have little doubt it must be agonizing," Elliott said. The elf king made a strangled sound, mouth twitching as he felt the change within him. Elliott's smile fell a bit when he noticed grey veins starting to appear in the elf king's face, creeping towards the head, then became a full out frown as the elf king's eyes began to blacken, and as he made a strangled sound, similar to what humans with a food allergy would do when their throats began to swell up after eating something they shouldn't. But this seemed worse somehow. Still, Elliott knew he couldn't let his leverage go, as much as he was starting to regret what he'd done. The fairies were coming out looking fearful and alarmed. The Junimos were appearing as well, gazing worriedly at the elf. "Your life for his freedom, with all his memories and feelings intact, and all the memories and feelings of everyone who knows him intact," Elliott said. "No loopholes, no cheating. Just simple and direct." The elf king was quiet. "He can save you," Elliott said as the doctor gaped in horror at the rapidly weakening fae. The elf made a pained sound, sinking to his knees and starting to shudder. The fairies were gasping and whispering and longing to come near, but also fearing to lest the mortals had more iron on them somewhere.

"Agreed," the elf king breathed. "No tricks, no cheats. I will set him free."

"You and all your company," Elliott quickly added, catching a potential loophole. _He_ would set them free. That wasn't to say the fairies would.

"Damn you, mortal!" the elf king shouted, fury and rage darkening his eyes as he looked up at Elliott appalled.

"It all could have been so simple, you know. If ever your sort actually meant what they said without alternative motives hidden behind their words," Elliott replied.

"Damn you!" the elf king spat again. Elliott stepped back, a little unnerved at the rage flowing through the elven king.

"Let me help you, please!" Harvey begged.

The elf king's eyes darted over to him warily. "Release him," he commanded of the fairies, relenting in disgust.

The fairies cast a spell on the ivy and quickly it withdrew from Harvey's body. Harvey gasped as he felt his bonds broken. Immediately he dove for the Elf king and laid him down. Swiftly he found the entry point and set his jaw. It had gone deep. "This is going to hurt," he warned. The elf king growled in response but said nothing. Immediately Harvey set to work as Elliott looked nervously around at the icy and dangerous glares of the Fair Folk. Oh, he had made a very, very bad mistake. He felt his confidence wavering and felt immediately he was going down a slippery slope. They would sense his fear and weakness soon enough if he didn't recover his courage… But with all their eyes upon him like this… It was no easy task. He turned attention back to Harvey, trying to focus on that. The doctor was quick and efficient. Within ten minutes he had dug the iron shard from the elf king's body and thrown it away from himself and into the water, obviously stricken with guilt. Elliott was not impressed. That was literally the only defense either of them had had. Now their fate lay solely on whether the elf king kept his word or not. They always kept their promises, he kept reminding himself. Always… But he couldn't help but feel a little bit of concern that he might end up being the one to drive the elf to make an exception…

The elf recovered at an alarming rate, the gray veins withdrawing and his glow returning to him. He gasped deeply and sat up swiftly before rising to his feet. Before either Harvey or Elliott could comprehend it, there was a blade in his hand, sharp and deadly in the moonlight. The two could only gape in fear. The elf king glared spitefully at them both, eyes narrowed. His gaze came to rest on Elliott and the silence seemed to drag on and on before finally the king returned it to his sheath. "You are well with words, mortal. Be wary of it. Those who can contend with the fair folk do not oft contend for long," the elf king stated, all hints of anger dissipating as his expression returned to neutral. "Go on your way in peace." He clenched his fist, resting his arm against his chest and bowing his head ever so slightly to the men. They assumed it was a gesture that meant goodbye or something similar, and warily they backed away from the elven king as the Junimos emerged once more, and the fairies looked on in anger, unimpressed but not acting against the men. "Author," the elf king suddenly said. They paused and looked back. "The next time you make a bargain for the life and freedom of another, do not forget to include yourself in the deal." Elliott seemed confused, then suddenly caught on and blanched, looking sick. He'd bargained for Harvey's freedom. He'd forgotten about his own. He stood stock still, honestly expecting the elf king to reach out and ensnare him. Harvey braced himself and glared at the fae as if challenging him to try it, looking ready to fight if need be. The elf made no move to do anything against either of them. "Go on your way in peace, both of you," he instead said to the two mortals. "And remember how close to your doom you came this day." Harvey bowed his head in acknowledgement and started away. Elliott was still frozen and pale, actually looking like he was subtly shivering. Harvey winced and reached out, taking the other's arm and gently pulling him away from the not-so-farmer's fields and towards safety as Elliott continued in his shock.

Stardew

They emerged from the woods and came into the town square only to be greeted by every resident who made this place their home, looking overwhelmed and frightened and so, so relieved. Maru threw herself into Harvey's arms, mouth quivering and eyes brimming with tears as she clung to him. Startled at first, he soon wrapped his arms around her gently and drew her near, stroking her hair. "I brought you strawberries," he lamely offered.

"Risk your life for strawberries again, you're going to need a doctor _yourself_ ," she answered, sniffing as she drew away from him wiping her eyes. Penny offered Maru the journal Elliott had given her. She took it, looking at it, then pressed it back into Harvey's hands. The man looked mortified, quickly realizing what likely had been done. She bit her lower lip then stood on tiptoes, quickly pecking his lips before drawing away blushing as her parents and brother gawked in shock and disbelief at her. She got the feeling she was in for a lecture, if her father's furious expression was anything to go by. She wasn't looking forward to that, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to care. Elliott had brought him back…

"Harvey, we're so, so sorry," Mayor Lewis guiltily said. "I don't understand how it was possible that we could-could just forget!"

"It wasn't you. It was… it was the elfin king…" Harvey admitted in shame, hanging his head as he blushed deeply. He couldn't believe he'd just said that out loud. If he hadn't literally just barely escaped with his life and freedom intact not five minutes ago, he would have kicked himself in the head for that remark then signed up for a psychological evaluation. The rest of the town looked stunned at this declaration, then uneasy. They separated without a word, a heavy and anxious silence falling upon them. From children and Elliott they expected it, from the wizard and Linus and Willie and Evelyn they understood it, but to hear it from _Harvey's_ mouth? That was something else entirely… If this proved to be true, if the elves had come back, would they be worse off or better? That was a mystery none of them were eager to have solved for fear of what the outcome would be…

Stardew

 _"So, you chose monster."_

 _"Had I chosen monster, there would have been no one left that remembered you. Had I chosen monster, you would be dead. Forgotten. As if you had never existed."_

 _"What are you saying?"_

 _"Had I not wanted you found again, doctor, rest assured I would have been certain of it."_

 _"Why are you here?"_

 _"To mend bridges. I came not into this land with the desire to instill fear and create enemies. I grew wary of battle long ago. But I cannot change my nature. I cannot change what it is I am. Whether it makes me allies or enemies I care not. It is as it is."_

 _"You kidnapped and enthralled me."_

 _"I did. I also won you a new and undying friendship with a man you did not think could ever become one. I also threw down the wall that kept you from the arms of the woman you love. The Fair Folk give neither blessing nor curse with rare exception. It is how mortals interpret our gifts that make it one or the other."_

 _..._

 _"Have you come to take me back?"_

 _"What reason have I to take you back, author?"_

 _"Then why these past weeks have you lurked on and off outside my cabin?! I've been unable to_ _ **sleep**_ _for the paranoia! If you've come to take me, take me! Don't make me suffer this!"_

 _"Is that why you came out finally? In the hopes I would finish it, as it were? I come not to harm you, mortal. I come to admire you. Countless millennia of experience to my name, yet a mere writer with an iron shard managed to do what thousands upon thousands upon thousands have failed to. Brought me to my knees and cast me at the feet of death. I did not expect it of one such as you. I did not expect a warrior's heart to burn within your breast."_

 _"No warrior's heart burns within me. I never even expected I would do such a thing. I acted with the heart of a poet, and played the role of a character in a fantasy. I reacted as I would have written a creation of mine in the same situation to react… Your smile... I dislike being unable to understand the sort of smile it is."_

 _"You have nothing to fear of me, mortal, as long as you make not the mistakes of others who trod where they ought not to have trod… But I give you and the whole of the town my word, that no longer will Cindersnap Forest be cause for them to fear at night. I will leave them be. The Secret Woods, however, are mine. Woe to whosoever determines they will not heed my warnings in regard to them. I have given ample notice, I have told of what may happen to those who stumble across my subjects at their merrymaking. You know the cost of your curiosity. There are no further excuses to be made. Especially since you have made it now abundantly clear to all that there is indeed elven magic in this valley once more, to my annoyance."_

 _"Just **you** will leave the Cindersnap forest be, or all of your sort? Ah, and there is that smile again. Really, you must stop that. It's very nerve wracking."_

 _"No harm shall befall a mortal who should come across my own at their merrymaking outside of the dark forest. Should they deign to do otherwise, it is with me they will contend."_

 _"Only at your merrymaking, then."_

 _"You are a clever mortal. Perhaps too much so. I will make no further promises than I already have. The rest must be based on trust, for without it there will e'er be fear permeating a beautiful and peaceful valley I wished no fear upon…"_

Stardew

The farmer was still missing. Rumors were beginning to spread of the possibility he might have run afoul of the elves. Elf, the likes of Elliott, Evelyn, and Linus would correct. They spoke not of the truth of the elf king. Search parties began to go out during the day to try and find him. As the weeks dragged by, their hearts sank lower and lower as they realized that he would not be coming back, though they still wondered at who it was who answered their bulletins and letters, if it weren't the farmer. When Penny suggested casually that it was the elf king, the valley became suddenly much quieter. No ads were put up anymore, and no letters were sent out. Until one day the creature—as many had taken to calling him to the personal disgust of those who knew him, say for Evelyn and Rasmodius who understood fully that was exactly what he was—came among them.

It was at the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, late that night, that the elf king appeared in all his splendor. The villagers had been talking and enjoying each other's company when suddenly a hush fell over them as a presence was felt. All eyes turned to the trail, and there he was. He emerged from the woods in his robes and crown, awing all. On either side floated a fairy, flanking him. They could only gape, frozen in shock as he walked among them, through them, to the edge of the dock, and paused as the jellies approached. The eyes of the townsfolk were fixed on him as he stood, and they saw the jellies go towards his ghostly glow as if he were a beacon, dancing in front of him like it was he alone they were trying to entertain. He knelt at the edge, reaching down his hand to the water. Their leader, green and bright, brushed against his fingertips, and the elf king smiled softly. The smile fell once more and he rose, turning and walking away from the dock and the villagers without a word, leaving them in silence.

 _The next day, the farmer made his reappearance…_


	4. Fall

**Fall**

If possible, the farmer became even more of a recluse. Things remained… complicated, in regards to him. He left his land and the forests only occasionally, and then usually just to forage or speak with the townspeople in his good graces: the children, Linus, Rasmodius, Evelyn, Willie, on occasion others out of idle curiosity. Elliott foremost of those, but that was more caution than anything else. It was difficult to tell what he thought of the secluded writer. Some would say he regarded Elliott with wary suspicion, others that he regarded Elliott as a threat. Elliott was oblivious say for when he happened to cross the farmer in the woods and began to get a very, very unsettling feeling. Like he was being scrutinized. He usually left those woods shortly after when that happened.

They had tried for the first few days of fall to understand where the farmer had been and where he'd gone. He gave them no satisfying answer, only said he'd been 'away'. Where and why he would not explain, and soon they gave up. For the most part people gave the farmer his space, and the farmer gave them theirs. Since the incident with Harvey and the appearance of the elfin king at the beach, by nightfall most of the villagers were all home. No one went into the forest after dark, no one even tried to. At least not until Sam.

Sam had slipped out one night, determined to find out whether or not there was anything to fear in those woods. Elliott had mentioned, more than once, that Cindersnap was safe, whenever he heard people whispering about how the forest had become too dangerous a place. Sam personally liked those woods, and he didn't want them to be ruined for people, so he'd decided to take a chance...

 _When he returned, he told of a figure he'd caught glimpses of in the dark. A figure who'd seemed always to watch, but never acted antagonistically. A figure who in fact might have saved him from the creatures in the forest..._

For his recklessness Sam had been torn into mercilessly by his family and Sebastian and Abigail and Penny, but it had been worth it. No longer was Cindersnap Forest as much a cause for fear to any of them anymore, as one by one they became brave themselves and ventured in and found no reason to be scared.

 _But the Secret Woods they avoided like a plague…_

The farmer had taken it upon himself again, to help the townsfolk when he could with the various requests pinned to the town billboard or sent to him via letter. His good standing with the likes of Evelyn, Jas, Vincent, Willie, and Linus evidently served to elevate him in the eyes of others as well, mostly immediate family and friends. Whether it was to his advantage or detriment was yet to be seen, but he had treated it, thus far, as an asset, more than anything else. Given Elliott was one of the few who knew what he really was, the writer suspected there was a bigger plan at play and had been… wary, putting it mildly, of the 'farmer'. Not all, though, were of like mind…

Stardew

Penny watched, mystified, as the farmer knelt in front of the children and taught them many things not even she had known. She was learning as much as they, if not more. She sat enraptured and amazed. The man was highly intelligent, incredibly well-spoken, incredibly well-read, amazingly patient, excellent at explaining confusing points to little Vincent and Jas, and admittedly more than a little easy on the eyes. A lot like Elliott, actually, though perish forbid you make that comparison to the writer's face. He balked at the idea even though Penny was pretty sure he was all too aware of the similarities. In short, she had become intrigued by this farmer who had come into the valley as herald to the elven king—at least she had suspected that was the reason they'd appeared around the same time, though by this point her theory had changed—and now knelt in Cindersnap Forest teaching little children about things she hadn't even thought about teaching them but should have probably been in the basics.

"Miss Penny is teaching me to write cursive. She has such pretty handwriting," Jas remarked to the farmer.

"Ah, a dying art. It is well she teach you it," the farmer answered. "Now I am afraid I have taken up too much of your lesson time as it is, little ones. I believe it is time I returned you to your tutor."

"Aww. Okay," Vincent replied.

"I'm offended, Vincent," Penny gently teased, smiling.

"I'm sorry Miss Penny!" Vincent exclaimed, looking mortified.

Penny giggled. "It's alright," she assured. She looked over at the farmer. "Maybe he would like to join us? I have to admit I was enjoying learning so much too."

"Perhaps another time. Perhaps later this day. Now, however, there are duties I must attend to," he answered.

"For yourself, or for… for _him_?" Penny asked. She didn't need to say who she was referencing.

He smiled ever so slightly, eyes unreadable. "For us both," he answered.

Penny nodded then turned to Vince and Jas. "You two go on. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay Miss Penny," they said together before scrambling away.

When they were out of earshot, Penny turned to the farmer. "The elven king… what's he like?" she asked.

"What do you believe, lady?" he answered.

"I… I don't know… I think he's maybe gotten a worse rep than he deserves," she replied.

"That was not my question," he answered.

Penny was quiet. "I believe he wants to… to protect us? If not us, then this valley at least. Look at the people whose lives have been touched by his existence. Before he arrived, Jas was so shut in and quiet and-and I don't know. Just… not like a child _should_ be. And Vincent. You never would guess it at first glance, but he's been so sad since his father left, and lonely. Then this elf king comes into the picture and suddenly he starts to come back to his normal perky self. And Evelyn, dear old Evelyn. I see her holding the Fairy Roses he gifts her in her hands, smiling at them sometimes with tears misting her eyes. She sits out at night or settles them in her window like she's trying to catch a glimpse of something, and it's just so-so touching. To see her smile so much and look so content and like she has hope again and isn't so tired anymore and just going through the motions. I can't really tell what a difference he's made to the wizard, but I can tell what a difference he's made to Linus, the Wildman. Before him, Linus didn't trust _anyone_. Except maybe the wizard and Gus. He was reclusive, shut in. He still is, yeah, but now he has someone there at least. Someone he knows he can go to and count on, and it seems he feels so much safer and trusting now than I ever thought he would feel. Even if the erlking meant only to help the valley, he's also ended up helping the people he's showed interest in. I mean… I don't think Linus is the only one of them who feels safer than they did before…"

"You speak too highly of him, my lady, caught overmuch in the fantasy of it all. Think, now, of all the harm he has done and may yet do. One must see both bad and good to have a well-balanced viewpoint," the farmer remarked.

"You mean his terrifying all the other villagers? Making them feel unsafe in their own homes and unsafe walking the forests at night? He could change that if he tried," she answered, crossing her arms and frowning down at the ground.

"He cares not for the opinions of those who choose to despise him," the farmer answered.

"Shouldn't he care, though?" Penny asked.

"If that is a question you must truly ask, then despite all you have read and heard, you know nothing of the fae," he answered. Penny blushed, bowing her head a bit ashamedly. "Do not be ashamed. You simply think too much in human terms. Now think…" he began.

"Like Elliott?" she asked. "You know, like a writer. Outside the box. More… fantastically."

The farmer was quiet. "If that is how you best understand it," he finally answered.

She looked up at him. "How did you come to be under the Elven King?" she wondered.

He smirked slightly in amusement. "It would seem you have developed a fascination. Or a crush. Upon me or the elf king, I wonder?" he said flat out. She went beet red, blinked at him, then turned and awkwardly shuffled away. "In time you will find your answer," he called after her. She paused, glancing back curiously. "Until then, do not let the imaginings of your heart give you hope where there is none."

"Does he have no interest in love or romance or family?" she asked.

He tilted his head, reading her in silence. "You know me," he deduced after a moment. She stiffened, catching her breath. She'd suspected, was more accurate to say… Then been certain after the farmer's reappearance… "Why then did you ask how it was the farmer came to be under the king?"

She licked her lips nervously and glanced down. "Because… because I was curious… About the story you would spin…" she answered.

"Well played, mortal… Once upon a time he loved and was loved. Once upon a time there was an elven queen. Once upon a time there were children… Once upon a time ended long, long ago, and there was no happily ever after… I have grown weary of love. Now I only bide my time," he answered.

"For what?" she asked.

His smile became ever so slightly sad. "The day I will meet them again, should that day e'er come," he answered. She felt her heart sink. He turned his back on her and walked back into the forest… As he went she watched his clothing change like a mirage, and become a long flowing robe. She saw appear upon his head a crown of spring flowers woven around jagged wooden peaks, and she was left to wonder how much more of what he showed to them had been illusion…

Stardew

It was in the first week of fall that the farmer hired Robin to build him a stable. He refused the horse that came with it. Given the steed came free with the stable, rather was included in the cost of building it, Marnie determined to make sure he was certain he didn't want it… When she saw the elk that rested in it, large and majestic, she could only gawk in shock. The farmer came up from the river and saw her there, staring at his chosen mount. His eyes met hers. Neither of them spoke, and Marnie got the sudden feeling she was very unwelcome there. Turning, she shuffled quickly off…

 _The rumors began to fly once more…_

Demetrius took his first look around the farm and couldn't believe a single thing he was seeing. He'd come to ask permission to use the cave on the property. He hadn't foreseen coming upon all of _this_. For a moment he forgot his purpose here, perusing the gardens and looking for something Robin might like to have. Then he heard hooves and looked quickly back. His mouth dropped as he saw the farmer riding tall and proud upon the back of an elk, coming in from the backwoods. The farmer reigned in his mount and stared, and Demetrius felt like he'd made a very, very big mistake. He hastily scrambled to explain away his presence. When all was said and done, the farmer agreed to turn the cave into a bat refuge—he grew enough mushrooms on his farm as it was, he claimed—and sent Demetrius on his way coldly with an allowance for him to take a single thing from the garden for his wife. Demetrius took it and hastily scrambled off.

A paper had expressed interest in the farmer's farm. When the article the papers had written on it went public, the people of the valley were shocked to see how plain it looked. Marnie, Robin, Demetrius, and Lewis all hastened there to check if it was really, suddenly, that ordinary, only to stumble upon the veritable paradise it had always been to their eyes. Bad picture, was his explanation. They all suspected it was a lie, and now they all suspected he had connections to the elf king—after all, how else could he accomplish all of this if he hadn't made a deal with the fae?—but they didn't call him on it. They weren't sure they dared to.

Stardew

 _"_ _There is a darkness that lingers in the shadows, waiting to creep out on us."_

 _"_ _There always is."_

 _"_ _Is that darkness you, my lord Th…?"_

 _"_ _Perhaps. Or perhaps, Rasmodius, that darkness is tied to_ _ **you**_ _."_

 _"_ _Me? I wish no sort of misfortune on Stardew Valley."_

 _"_ _No. I do not suspect you do… But what of the woman you once called wife?"_

 _"_ _The witch? Why do you bring her up now?"_

 _"_ _I bring her up now because I have heard her, not but a night ago, soaring above my land. Cackling. Her intent was malicious, of that there is no doubt. It is a question of whether her maliciousness was towards you, towards me, or towards the village itself and all its inhabitants."_

 _"_ _She knows nothing about you."_

 _"_ _Good. Then should she move against the inhabitants of Stardew Valley, in me you will have your weapon against her, should you alone prove not enough."_

 _"_ _What?"_

 _"_ _Many ages ago my kingdom was vast, my people many, and I their greatest living king… In that time, so long ago, I defended them with all I had and all I was… This is my realm now, these mortals my people. Should it come to it, I will do what I must."_

 _"_ _Even should they turn on you?"_

 _"_ _Let them do as they will. I have made this oath to myself, not to them, and my promises I will keep whatever the cost."_

Stardew

The autumn came near to its end, the last festival of that season Spirit's Eve, where a young man gave to a young girl a promise ring after he had guided her through the maze and they had come to the end, secluded and intimate.

"Sebastian…" she breathed in shock, gazing at the simple band as if she couldn't believe it was there.

"One day maybe it'll be an engagement ring, but I don't know if you feel ready for that kind of step yet. Or me. I mean, we both still live with our parents, so there's that," he answered. Tears misted the young girl's eyes. "Abby, are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"Yes. Yes! Of course I am, yes!" she replied, throwing her arms around his neck with a wide grin, hugging him tightly. He blushed about seven shades of red before carefully and gently wrapping his arms around her in turn. "Just don't hold off too long on an engagement, kay?" she whispered into his ear before nuzzling his neck and relishing his embrace.

The wizard gazed down at the scene from where he stood above it all, Linus at his side. "She's your daughter," Linus remarked.

"She… yes… I suspect she is, though to say I'm certain of it might be a tad a stretch," Rasmodius answered.

"She's her daddy's girl," Linus said. He glanced at his friend. "She looks like you. Acts like you too a lot, I notice." Rasmodius was quiet, simply watching. Suddenly a cackle was heard somewhere in the woods. Both men started and turned quickly. "What was that?" Linus asked.

Rasmodius tensed up, fear reflecting briefly in his eyes. "It's her… Quickly, you need to hide," he said to his companion. "Don't let her see you."

Linus, uneasy, quickly obeyed, moving into the shadows and getting behind a tree before peering out to watch his friend. It wasn't long before he saw a witch shuffle out of the woods with a sour expression, and approach the wizard. "Rasmodius," she growled darkly.

"My dear," Rasmodius replied flatly.

The witch growled then looked out over the festival. "So, this is the village you've called home. These are the people you've become so fond of," she soon remarked. Rasmodius remained quiet, jaw clenching slightly. He didn't speak, though. Speaking would only fuel her. She scanned them. "Ah, young love…" she said, eyes falling on Sebastian and Abigail who were still embracing, cuddled together in the maze. "How despicable." The wizard still refused to speak. "She looks like you," the witch darkly remarked. Rasmodius tensed up slightly, but still refused to reply. "Perhaps we should see if she screams like you too."

"Don't challenge me, my dear," Rasmodius warned. "We both know what that outcome would be. That's why you have yet to attack me here. Me _or_ this village."

"It's only a matter of time," she answered. "They will suffer. This whole _valley_ will suffer. She looked down at Sebastian and Abigail, who were getting lost in one another. "I will make _you_ suffer," she added darkly.

"What's drawn you out after so long?" Rasmodius asked. The witch didn't answer, only smirking cruelly, and Rasmodius felt more than a little uneasy… Maybe even afraid… Cackling, the witch shuffled back into the forest and soon flew away on her broom. Linus came out shortly after, watching after the woman. The Wildman looked at Rasmodius inquisitively, though he didn't speak.

"For now we're safe," Rasmodius soon said.

"For how much longer?" Linus asked.

Rasmodius let out a soft sigh. "The elven king protects this land now… I will speak to him, when the time is right. It'll be… it'll be alright." Linus nodded. He hoped his friend was right. He watched in the direction the witch had flown once more.


	5. Winter

( **A/N:** This chapter is heavily influenced by a song called _'Faerie Queen_ ' by Heather Alexander. Down to even dialogue in a good few places. So yeah, that song and artist gets a lot of credit. The solos in that song aren't the ones I envisioned in this chapter, just so you know, so they're not a good reference point for what they would sound like.)

 **Winter**

He wore a crown of red leaves and berries in fall. The crown seemed to change with the seasons. When winter came, his crown became one of frosted pine and twigs. His garden disappeared, mostly, beneath snow. He built, then, a barn and a coop, the largest available, and filled it with animals of all sorts who were most often outside. Both barn and coop were always open for them to come and go as they pleased. Each creature he brought adored him the moment they met him. The cellar of his house he filled with casks and preserve jars. A storage building—they couldn't call it a shed, what he'd done with it made it seem more like a treasury—was built by Robyn for him, and beyond what the carpenter had done, he himself built onto it by his own hands via a means they had yet to understand.

During the Festival of Ice, he stood staring into the secret forest that was temporarily blocked off, as if longing to go there rather than be in the midst of their celebration. No one questioned him. His gazing into those woods was typical. He tended to stay far away from them, disappearing into Cindersnap forest and only emerging every so often to check on the progression of the festivities. When the festival ended, he went deep into Cindersnap forest as the others went home, and entered the secret woods unseen. He didn't emerge from that place until the dawn. Leah saw him coming and demanded to know if he was alright and if he'd gotten lost. His answer had been an amused smirk and an assurance that never could he be lost in a forest. Then he left her company without a word more.

That winter he began to fish and enter the mines more often. Within the span of a week, he cleared the caverns down to the lowest floor, purging everything that stood in his path, cleansing the mountain of the beasts within. More would of course find their way to the mines, but regularly he'd make the trip back down to empty it again. Things were being fixed and repaired with no one having a clue as to how or when, and it seemed always to happen in the night. Before the end of the season, he brought the Community Center back to life and drove Joja Corp from the Valley with extreme, extreme, extreme prejudice. It was like it had never been there! He took the ruins of the store and marked it off for himself, and gradually those who walked by started to notice subtle changes to it as if it was being prepared for something great. He did all of this before the Feast of the Winter's Star, and it was good. Everything was so good!

 _Then, if it hadn't already been, good became a relative term…_

Stardew

Winter was nearing its close. Before its end, a raven-haired youth proposed to a pale young maiden with purple hair, and the valley rejoiced at the engagement. The ceremony would take place late winter, it was decided, and for a time everything was going alright… Until it wasn't…

Shane stood at the edge of the cliff gazing down, tears threatening his eyes. He refused to let them fall. He always did. He breathed deeply in through the nose and closed his eyes, imagining what it would be like to just… fall forward. The wind on his face, the weightlessness, the stillness… He let the breath out and leaned forward. "Shane?" a voice said. He stopped, opening his eyes but not turning. He kept looking over the edge. "What are you doing at the edge of the cliff?"

Shane closed his eyes, drawing a shaky breath again. "Enjoying the peace and quiet. Or was until you showed up," he answered gruffly. He turned around. Sebastian. It wasn't often Sebastian was spotted in the woods, in fact it was virtually never, but apparently fate just loved to conspire against Shane, because here he was. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Taking a walk, clearing my head. I have a lot to think about," Sebastian replied.

Shane was quiet. "Congratulations on your engagement," he soon said. "Figuring out a place to live one of those things you're thinking about?"

"Yeah, it is," Sebastian replied, flushing a bit. "There's not really a lot here in Stardew Valley, or many places to set up in. Might end up having to beg my mom for help to build something. Or we could move into the city. There's not much opportunity here."

"Ain't that the truth," Shane wryly agreed. "You old enough for a beer, kid?"

Sebastian raised an eyebrow but nonetheless cautiously approached. Shane knelt and pulled one out, tossing it over to him. Sebastian caught it and looked dubiously at it. Shane pulled one out for himself and cracked it open before tipping his head back to drink from it. Sebastian eyed the other warily before opening his own and sipping. He grimaced at the temperature of it, and the taste - he'd had better - but settled anyway. They stood in silence, Shane looking over the edge and Sebastian watching the horizon quietly.

"Come away from the cliff, Shane," Sebastian finally said.

Shane tensed up. "Don't you have a friend to go hang out with?" he replied.

"The way I'm seeing it, hanging with an acquaintance might be the better idea right now," Sebastian replied. Shane bitterly chuckled but said nothing. "Get away from the cliff, Shane," Sebastian said again. Shane's jaw twitched slightly. He scoffed, turning and picking up the beers, walking away from it. He wasn't going towards Marnie's ranch, though. Sebastian frowned suspiciously and followed. "It's getting late. You should go home," he said.

"Look kid, I'm like ten years older than you, if not more. You don't get to pull that card," Shane said.

"You're less than ten years older than me, I'm pretty sure," Sebastian replied. Unless he was in his mid-thirties. Not impossible, but doubtful. "Marnie will be expecting you. Jas might want you to say goodnight or read her a story."

"I'll get there when I get there!" Shane snapped.

"Fine with me. Where are we walking?" Sebastian asked.

"You mean me? As in singular me?" Shane replied, glaring back at the young man.

"No. I'm not leaving," Sebastian said.

"Oh? And why not?" Shane asked, turning and crossing his arms confrontationally.

"I'm not going to fight you, Shane," Sebastian said, stepping back a bit. He didn't continue to back away, though, and he didn't seem intimidated in the least. "I'm worried. That's all. People don't stand precariously close to cliff edges and lean forward if they're doing okay."

"People don't live their lives in basements and despise the cheeriness of summer and spring and daylight if they're doing okay," Shane replied. Sebastian's eyes narrowed, but he didn't snap up the bait. Instead he sipped from the beer and said nothing. He was sticking close, so Shane better get used to it. Shane shifted. "What could I even do to myself in this forest?! I'm away from the cliffs. No more danger, see?"

"Hanging isn't exactly an uncommon method," Sebastian replied.

"Morbid little thing, aren't you? No. I wouldn't do that to Jas," Shane replied.

"You were about to do it at the cliffs," Sebastian said.

"At least that way she could be told it was an accident!" Shane said.

"And that, what, makes it better?" Sebastian asked.

"It makes it less painful. Yeah," Shane replied. He wouldn't meet Sebastian's eyes, though.

"There's also a lake out here that I won't let you go to alone, and the generic dangers of a forest at night," Sebastian said.

"Damn you," Shane all but snarled.

"You're drunk. Sleep it off," Sebastian said. "Maybe in the morning you'll start thinking more clearly."

"Go spend time with your fiancée or something, Sebastian! Leave me alone," Shane replied.

"My fiancée is doing a week-gig at the Casino in the desert," Sebastian replied. "Emily brought her there a few weeks ago and convinced her to play for Sandy. Sandy liked it and recommended her. Abigail's always been great with music."

"And Emily's always been great at helping people out," Shane murmured, head bowed.

"She is… Maybe _you_ should talk to her," Sebastian said.

"You think I haven't? I have. Stopped that a while ago now though. Don't… want her thinking that she wasn't good enough or didn't do enough if… if something bad happens…" Shane said.

"People care about you, Shane. You can't escape that whether you shut them out or not," Sebastian replied.

"That what's kept _you_ going, emo boy?" Shane bit.

"Yeah, actually. It is," Sebastian said unwaveringly. Shane started, visibly surprised at the response. "What, you think I haven't had thoughts like that before? I'm not a stranger to those feelings, you know… Or to attempting it…" Again, Shane looked stunned. "Three times. When I was a teenager."

Shane was quiet. "Teenagers are hormonal, emotional, impulsive, and have all-around bad judgement. There's a reason so many of them pull that kind of shit. Get those feelings in adulthood, on the other hand…"

"You're making excuses, Shane," Sebastian cut off with a scoff, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

"Read my lips. Take. A. Hike," Shane said.

"Read _my_ lips. No. Way. In. Hell," Sebastian answered. "Please. Let's just walk. I don't want to argue with you, I don't want to fight, I just… I just want to make sure you'll be alright. I know right now you don't want to be, but you _need_ to be."

Shane was quiet, glaring at Sebastian. "Fine," he finally relented. Sebastian nodded gratefully.

Stardew

They walked in silence, maybe every so often making small talk. Usually if Sebastian noticed Shane starting to look for an escape, in which case the short conversation would be a distraction. He didn't notice what Shane was doing. Not until they were right there. He saw the path to the secret forest, he noticed the time of night, and he put the pieces together in a heartbeat. That heartbeat, though, was all the time Shane needed to break for it and all but throw himself into the secret forest. "Shane, no, don't do it!" Sebastian shouted after him in alarm, racing after the man desperately. He had to stop him before it was too late!

 _The Secret Woods are mine…_

Elliott's message from the elf king…

 _Woe to whosoever determines they will not heed my warnings in regard to them._

"Shane!" Sebastian frantically called. "You can't do this! Don't do this!"

 _I have told what may happen to those who stumble across my subjects at their merrymaking. You know the cost of your curiosity._

"Shane, no!" Sebastian cried out desperately as a distant glimmer of light came into sight. Sebastian cursed his smoking now, but pushed himself into a desperate sprint, determined to stop the other from this madness.

Shane drew nearer to the light and nearer. His breaths became more ragged and frantic the closer he came. He heard mysterious singing and eerie moaning and gritted his teeth, determined to make it to the circle of light. It was true. It was all true! For once he was glad to be wrong about something. He was almost there, just a little farther…

"Shane!" Sebastian shouted out from right behind him. He felt someone seize the back of his shirt and throw him backwards before crying out in alarm and stumbling, rolling down a hill and right into the circle of light!

Stardew

Shane gasped, snapping out of his momentary loss of sense. He went pale as he looked out and saw the elf king standing tall and imposing and fierce, eyes ablaze with wrath and vindictiveness. The fairies floated in the air, circling and glaring. The Junimos shivered uncertainly, backing away a bit.

 _No…_

Shane caught his breath and made to leap out of the bush to drag Sebastian out of there, but then the elf-king spoke, and it was as if he suddenly couldn't move… "Why have you come here, mortal?" the erlking asked.

"I-I was looking for a-a friend," Sebastian, terrified, stammered out as he looked up at the creature in dread. "He-he hasn't been in a good place and he just vanished from his home! I was only trying to find him, I swear it! I didn't find him anywhere else!" Shane gawked in disbelief. Sebastian was covering for him? Sebastian was… was _protecting_ him… Shane felt like he'd been punched. He hated when he was forced to face the fact people cared for him, and _this_? Sebastian was all but offering his life to keep him alive and safe!

 _And you want to throw it all away. You think he's the only one who would have done this for you…?_

It wasn't okay. No! Again, Shane tried to move or to call out or to _anything_. Again, he failed. "A noble goal, that I cannot deny," the elven king said, pacing around Sebastian. "But you would have been better to wait 'til daybreak."

"It might have been too late," Sebastian said through gritted teeth.

"Now it is instead too late for you," the elf king said. He came around in front of Sebastian and bent down, staring into his eyes. "I gave my warnings, I told my price. You knew the cost of discovery." Sebastian was quiet, willing himself not to shiver. The elf rose up straight again. For a moment tiredness came to his eyes before he hid it again. "Mortal, you should have stayed away… Now here you kneel, and here I stand bound by my word… Do not think I take pleasure in this…"

"Then let me go," Sebastian said, unable to hide the fear anymore. "Please, please let me go."

"Shh… It will be alright. I won't hurt you," he soothed, reaching out a hand and gently touching Sebastian's head. Sebastian gasped and stiffened. He stopped shivering. He stopped everything. Just knelt still as the elf king did whatever it was he was doing. Shane fought to get control of his body and voice again, inwardly cursing the elf king for all he was worth. The creature soon withdrew his hand. Sebastian stayed still, eyes glazed over as if he were in a trance. "Rise," the elf king ordered. Sebastian did so without protest. Shane, in a cold sweat, quickly realized what had been done. He'd enthralled him. The elf king had enthralled Sebastian! He'd… he'd made him his slave.

The fairies approached again, and the junimos. "I know you're there, mortal. Had I not, you would have been able to move," the elf said, and Shane knew immediately it was to him the king had spoken. Like magic his control of his own body seemed to return and he shot to his feet, racing out in a fury ready to full on tackle the elf king. He lunged but passed right through! He gasped and looked around quickly. He started. The elf king and his fairy ring was behind him?! But-but how?

"Let him go!" Shane shouted furiously, scowling.

"He knew the price he would pay. His dishonesty, arguably noble though it was, did not help his case," the elf king replied.

"It was the price I should have paid, not him! Let him go and take me! It was me! He only tried to stop me," Shane insisted frantically. "Please, he's just getting his life together. He's engaged to be married, he's planning for a future! Let him go, I'm begging you."

"He knew the price he would pay for you," the elf king specified, glaring over at Shane. "Selfish mortal, you should have suspected an outcome such as this. Did you really think your life was worth so little that there would not be those willing to give their own to protect it? This young man… not even a friend and yet this is the price he paid for you. Now go back to your village and ne'er return here. The next time you consider ending your life in my woods, my valley, my kingdom, remember this night and remember what this boy gave to ensure your survival."

Shane gaped, struck dumb. Tears burned in his eyes as he stared at Sebastian. He gritted his teeth and shook his head. "No! I won't leave here without him. Give me the kid right now! I won't let you take him, and if you go I won't stop searching for him until I've found him!" This was his fault, and he would do whatever it took to fix it. "He has a family, a mother and sister and fiancée and step-father. He has a future!"

"And it seems he believed that you also did. Now go, and may you live it," the elf king said.

"Give me the kid!" Shane snapped viciously.

"Guard your tongue in my presence," the elf testily replied.

"If I get my hands on you, you treacherous, filthy, woodland sadist, I'll tear your eyes and hair out of your head!" Shane threatened. "Give him to me!"

"I am done with you," the elf replied, turning his back and walking away, flanked by the fairies and junimos. Sebastian stared at Shane a moment more before turning and following as well, standing at the elf's side.

"Sebastian, don't!" Shane called, racing forward and reaching out to catch him. He passed through and looked around with a gasp. There was no one here! Shane gasped, looking frantically around. "No. No, no, no, no, no, Sebastian!" Shane called, searching desperately. He didn't leave the woods until the next morning. He ran from them and raced right to Robin and Demetri's house. He had to tell them what had befallen their son. Maybe they could help! …Or beat him into a fine pulp for losing him… Oh god, Abigail. What was he supposed to tell Abigail?! She was due back in less than a week. He damned himself a million times over, but now wasn't the time for self-loathing, now was the time for action. He wasn't going to rest until he fixed his grave mistake.

Stardew

Three days of searching yielded nothing. Both Elliott and Harvey, who knew who the farmer really was, had gone to his glade to plead with him. He hadn't been there. Linus and Penny and Willie and Evelyn all tried desperately to contact him as well, but he would meet with none of them. The only one who'd made contact was the wizard, and the wizard had come back grieved and empty handed. A shake of his head had told them he had been able to do nothing. Robyn was devastated… Three days of searching yielded nothing. She mourned deeply along with her daughter. Demetrius… He was hard to read. Numb, would be the term perhaps. Numb and guilt-stricken.

"Sebastian! Sebby!" Robin called into the woods desperately, in tears and almost totally broken.

"Sebastian, where are you?! Elf king, bring him back! Give me my brother back!" Maru screamed furiously into the forest. Harvey put a grounding hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Screaming would do nothing to help. The elf would do what he would do.

Shane stood numbly by a tree, looking down into the glade where last he'd seen Sebastian. "It wasn't your fault," Emily said, coming up behind him and gently touching his arm.

"How was it not my fault?" he asked through gritted teeth, closing his eyes tight. "If I hadn't… He would still be here, Emily… He would still be here…"

"Don't do that to yourself. Please," Emily said.

"It should have been me," Shane said. "He had his whole life ahead of him."

"Stop it," she said through gritted teeth. "I hate it when you talk like everyone in this valley except for you has a future ahead of them. You have one too, Shane! You have one too. Sebastian saw that, I see it, everyone sees it! Why can't you?"

Shane was quiet. "It shouldn't have been this way," he said, voice breaking.

"We'll fix it. We'll find him and the monster that took him," Emily stated.

Shane was quiet. "Has Abigail heard?" he asked.

"No. Caroline and Pierre are hoping he'll be found before she comes back tomorrow. After that, though…" Emily began. She trailed off.

Shane nodded. "He could be right here. He could be standing right in our midst and we wouldn't know it if he didn't want us to. His illusions… I've never seen anything like it before… He could be right here… Elliott keeps saying the fae are neither wicked nor good, Evelyn says they're apathetic towards mortal-kind… But how can this be anything other than wicked, what he's done and what he's doing…?" Emily was quiet. She didn't know…

Stardew

Abigail rode back to Stardew Valley on a horse, smiling widely. The week of gigs at the casino had been so great! She'd had no idea her musical ability would be so appreciated outside of the valley. She was really, really happy Emily and Sandy had given her this chance. She felt professional, and she'd made a surprising amount for her performances. Now she could go home, and in a day or two more she and Sebastian would marry. Oh, she couldn't wait!

Suddenly her horse froze in place, ears twitching. She frowned curiously. "Hey, what is it boy?" she asked. The horse whinnied a bit and began looking uneasily around. "Whoa, what…?" she began. Suddenly it bucked with a screech! She screamed as she was thrown from its back into a nearby ditch. She cried out in pain. The horse kept rearing and freaking out before suddenly calming down. Abigail stared at it, mouth agape in shock. What on earth had gotten into it?! "What's the matter with you?! What…?" she began, trying to rise as she looked down the road. She stopped dead, falling silent as a wondrous sight met her wide eyes. Her lips parted in awe and wonder. "Oh my god…" she breathed.

There, coming towards her, was a train of fairy creatures dancing by, cavorting around their king who rode tall and proud upon an elk, the most beautiful man she'd ever seen in her life. _Creature_ , a voice corrected in her mind. Whatever it was she was seeing, it was anything _but_ a man. The Elfin King… She saw the figure of a mortal trailing behind him, utterly and totally enthralled to the fae. The king had been out hunting, she noted on realizing it, delighted by the prize trailing behind him like a pet. As they neared singing and dancing, though, she saw in the mystical glow just who that prize was. She would know those gentle eyes anywhere. She gave a cry, covering her mouth in horror. No. Sebastian! Oh gods, no! No! She had to do something. She had to save him!

As they drew abreast of her, she stood. "Elfin King, I challenge you for your prize! He's my husband soon to be, and I _won't_ let you have him!" she furiously shouted.

They stopped and he stared down at her, the king astride his steed, and read her quietly. Her flaming eyes met his evenly and defiantly and bravely. She wouldn't back down. She wouldn't show him fear! "I see you have the courage, dear, but skill is what you need."

"Skill?" she warily asked, suspicious. What did he mean? His gaze travelled to her flute.

She tensed, eyes widening slightly. Her skill with music. Oh no… She swallowed, glancing at it, then looked back at him boldly. "By all means, my lord, set the rules."

"We each shall play a song, and when we have finished I will declare which of us played best. Should you win, this mortal toy I'll free without protest," the elf king replied.

Abigail glared. To most that would seem like a majorly biased approach to it, but the elven king wasn't mortal or human. He was of the fair folk, and that name hadn't been given to them lightly. You could count on no one to be fairer than they when push came to shove. For the most part. Albeit they were fair in a… not entirely 'fair' sense. "Fine," she finally agreed. "Let's begin then."

He hummed and turned to his entourage of fairy creatures. Two of them flew forward, holding a panpipe between them that was as black as the elf king was fae. They placed it in his hands, and he raised it to his lips, and without hesitation he began to play…

Stardew

Abigail was enchanted and entranced the moment the first notes departed the instrument. She listened in wonder and awe as he played his tune of the forest, melancholy and sad, heartbroken. Filled with pain and remembrance, powerful but regretful and angry… Aged and betrayed… His music almost seemed to speak and tell a tale that came across so plain in her mind it was as if she had been there herself, and the tale it told moved her to tears with its beauty so at times she felt like sobbing, though she managed to refrain. She cherished every sound that left the instrument… And hated it… With every note he played her heart sank lower and lower. She couldn't hope to compete with the music of the elves… For three minutes the song went on—no doubt an abridged version of what it was meant to be—and slowly died out.

Her spirit low, she raised her flute. Where could she even start? How could she hope to match him? She looked to Sebastian in grief. His eyes were on her and she met them… It almost seemed as if some part of him understood… She could feel he was afraid. She could feel him, despite that, trying to assure her that it was alright, trying to assure her she'd at least tried… Pleading with her to go and be safe… She stared into her lover's eyes then looked into her heart, trying to find _something_. Anything. Her head filled with mortal dreams, kisses beneath the moon, embraces in the spring rain and summer sun, the changing seasons passing them by as they'd grown older, drawing them nearer and nearer to one another… She wanted to spend her life with him… She needed to. She wouldn't let the elf king take him away.

She looked up at the faerie king once more and brought the flute to her lips, beginning her tune. Her plea. Yes, plea. She poured heart and soul into the music, trying her best to make it into a story as he had done. Trying to give him, without words, her entreaty, trying to express everything Sebastian meant to her and to his mother and sister and even his step-father, though you'd never guess with Demetrius, and to Sam. She was begging, she knew. Not with words or with actions, but with music, pleading and pleading desperately for him to let Sebastian go.

 _Let him go. Just let him go…_

The Elf King listened in silence. She couldn't read his expression and her heart sank… When she could think of no more to play, she lowered the flute and raised her head, arms feeling like lead and heart ablaze. If she had to, if her plea wasn't enough, then she would fight for him. She would do whatever it took to get Sebastian back. The elf king looked down on her and now she could read his expression. He was shaken. Straight to the core he was shaken! That was good, right? Right?!

"I've played for many centuries, but by the stars above… Child, your skill was not enough, but hardly did it need to be; for you played with all that was in your heart… Skill cannot compare to that deep a love. You have won your prize. Take him and go on your way in peace with my respect," the elf king said. Sebastian suddenly gasped and gave a cry, collapsing to the ground. She caught her breath and ran to him quickly, sliding next to him.

"Sebby!" she said, lifting him into her arms as best she could and looking frantically down at him. He shuddered in her embrace and his eyes began to flicker open again.

"A-Abby?" he said, sounding both scared and concerned. "Abby, what are you doing here? You can't be here!"

"It's alright. I'm alright," she quickly soothed, sniffing and wiping her eyes quickly as she forced a grin. "Everything's going to be okay. You're going to be okay."

"Wh-where am I?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter. You're with me now," she replied, voice breaking. "I'm going to get you back home. How long have you been like this?"

"Four days," the elf king answered. "To him it seems only a moment. His confusion is for the fact he is no longer in the secret woods."

"Sebastian, what were you thinking going there?!" she freaked. "You knew what waited for you there, you knew!"

"So did Shane," Sebastian said, grimacing, and Abigail caught her breath. It didn't take much to put together a vague picture of what may have happened. She looked up to the elf king and gasped. He was no longer there, at least not that she could see. Nor were his company. She didn't have time to question it.

Abigail turned attention back to Sebastian and helped him to rise. "It's almost over. You're going to be home soon with your mom and step-dad and sister… I can't even imagine the hell they're going through."

"As if Demetrius would shed a tear," Sebastian said, grimacing. Abigail was silent. There was no use arguing with him, she knew. He tended to need to figure things out on his own. She helped him onto her horse and mounted with him, positioning herself in front. It wouldn't be an easy task to ride behind him. He was taller than her so she wouldn't have been able to even see very well where she was going. He seemed balanced enough, though, and wrapped his arms around her middle gently. She glanced concernedly back at him then made for home at a canter, not wanting to go too fast but not wanting to risk being in these woods longer than was strictly necessary.

Stardew

The people of the town were returning to their homes dejected and miserable. Another day with no sign of Sebastian. No one spoke. There was nothing that could be said. Demetrius held the sobbing Robin close to himself and kept a grounding hand on Maru's shoulder, his daughter near to breaking down. He wasn't fond of her relationship with Dr. Harvey, but right now he was profoundly grateful the man was at her side holding her hand. It was probably helping. He hadn't spoken to Harvey since seeing the way his daughter had greeted him after his rescue. When only days later Harvey had approached him to ask for permission to court his daughter—no doubt at Maru's prompting, the man wouldn't have had the guts to ask otherwise—he'd almost physically thrown him out but was stopped by Robin's firm glare. He hadn't given his express permission, it was more a 'do whatever you want, it's not like I could stop her if I tried anyway' thing. With time he'd… calmed a little about the situation. He'd even started seriously considering the possibility of maybe one day speaking to him again, or if nothing else giving him tentative approval, but he was reluctant. Just… something wasn't entirely right, he felt. About the doctor. No, it wasn't the age gap—goodness, the difference between them wasn't even overly large a gap, though it might certainly waggle a few eyebrows—but it was _something_. He just couldn't pin it.

A whinny was heard suddenly, and they all turned hoping it might be the farmer returning. He might be able to speak to the elf-king on their behalf and get Sebastian back! Those few who knew the truth of what the man was, though, held no such illusions, and only stared numbly not relishing seeing him. They gasped, however, when they saw that the one on the horse was none other than Abigail. And behind her rode Sebastian!

Robin gave a cry and jerked away from Demtrius. Maru quickly followed, and Sam, then Shane. "Sebby!" Robin screamed, all but dragging her son off the horse and falling back onto the ground weeping and clinging tightly to him like she'd never thought she'd see him again. She probably hadn't, Sebastian knew, so the last thing he felt was begrudging. He coughed as Maru all but leapt on top of him too, hugging him as tightly as she could and letting herself cry now, this time in relief and happiness.

"Oh my god, you're alive. You're alive!" Sam all but cheered, dragging him off the ground. Maru clung to him and so was pretty much pulled up too. Sam hugged him tightly. "Dude, I thought I'd never see you again!"

"You're okay," Shane said, voice suddenly weak and near breaking.

"Yeah. I am," Sebastian replied, looking at him.

"I… I'm sorry…" Shane said.

"Don't. I chose it," Sebastian replied.

"But you shouldn't have had to," Shane whispered, bowing his head ashamedly and closing his eyes.

"Stop it, Shane," Sebastian warned. "I shouldn't have had to, but I did happily. And maybe next time you'll think twice about pulling a moronic stunt like that."

"He said the elf king got you. How did you get away?" Demetrius asked, tentatively approaching his step-son.

Sebastian glared warningly at him. He stopped approaching. Sebastian sighed, relaxing his stance and looking away as a silent invite for Demetrius to keep coming. He did so carefully. "It was Abigail who saved me," he said. "She challenged the elven king and he took her up on it. A music contest… She won, by his decree, and I was the prize so he set me free."

"The elven king offered you?" Shane said in shock. He caught a smug smirk on both Evelyn and Elliott's faces and frowned. "Don't say it," he warned them.

"Say what? That the fae are neither kind nor cruel?" Elliott blamelessly questioned.

"You want to eat this?" Shane threatened, showing his fist. Elliott smirked victoriously but wasn't stupid enough to push his luck any further. Shane wasn't known for idle threats.

"I don't believe he ever wanted to hurt the boy," Evelyn said. "Did he harm you, dear?"

"No, Mrs. Mullner. He didn't. He… he treated me well," Sebastian replied. He'd been a thrall, not zombified. He remembered snippets of his time with the elf king. "I was fed from his table. I was given wine to drink, milk and water when I expressed distaste for the wine. I had a place to sleep that was my own, in case anyone's afraid something disturbing was happening when it wasn't… I was safe." The food had been to die for, but he wasn't going to confess _that_ lest Gus get upset. He'd arguably had it pretty good for a faerie prisoner, so he doubted there'd been much for maliciousness behind the creature's actions.

"You were an example," Shane said. "For me."

"Did you get it?" Sebastian asked. Shane didn't respond, though the way he shifted uncomfortably implied he had. "Then I don't begrudge the elfin king anything he did. Have you even thought about your depression or suicide since I've been gone?"

Shane looked puzzled, then startled. He hadn't, he realized in shock. It hadn't even crossed his mind. Guilt, yeah, but not anything like suicide. He'd been too focused on fixing his mistake and finding Sebastian and getting him back. He hadn't even touched _alcohol_ since Sebastian was taken! He hadn't had the time to think about it.

"The doings of the Fair Folk are both blessing and curse. It depends on how one looks upon their actions that makes the difference," Elliott spoke up. "You think what was done a cruelty. Perhaps it was; but look at the good that also has come from it." No one spoke, left to seriously consider Elliott's words. One by one they drifted off back to their homes and spoke no further on the mysterious elven king that had come among them, and both cursed and helped as he saw fit… The farmer wasn't seen again until Abigail and Sebastian's wedding day…


	6. Year 2: Second Spring

.

2nd Year

 **Spring**

The farmer made himself a constant presence that spring, building up repertoire with the people of the valley, gaining their favor and affection, befriending them, winning their hearts slowly but surely as Penny had suggested he do the year prior. Still he was a mystery, and few were sure what to make of it. The swamp of the witch was unsealed that spring, when Rasmodius asked of him a favor. Namely to get back a item from his ex-wife the witch, from her hut located there... And in that swamp the farmer could feel the darkness of the magic permeating that place no matter where he went… Nevertheless he completed the task, returning the item to Rasmodius and noting, with some amusement, his question as to whether she seemed to live alone. He wondered if perhaps the wizard didn't yet harbor some measure of feeling for her. When, though, Rasmodius told him of her threat against the valley last autumn, amusement turned to caution...

 _"And you have told me this only now why?" he questioned, the slightest hint of a frown on his lips._

 _"I should have told you then, I know, but… but I thought it was all talk. Recent matters have made me uncertain of whether it was talk or not," Rasmodius said._

 _"And you are afraid," the elven king deduced._

 _"I am… For my child especially…" Rasmodius answered. "The witch may find allies, and if she does she will use them."_

 _"The witch you need not concern yourself over," the elf king said. "I will tend to the matter."_

 _"Thank you," Rasmodius replied before leaving. The elf king watched after him in silence._

Stardew

All eyes were upon him at the Flower Dance, dancing wraithlike in the twilight, enchanting all who saw and moving some even to tears. He had waited until after the pairs had danced, this time, before taking to the field himself come evening's fall. One by one, every villager drifted to sleep watching. Then he was joined by creatures from out the forest, encircling the mortals and dancing around them. When the residents of the valley awakened, it was in their own homes, in their own beds, and no one knew what it was that had happened say for the select few who understood that the farmer was _not_ in fact the elven king's vassal… And while they'd all slept, _he'd_ gone on the hunt…

The witch was holed up in her swamp, stewing and brewing and plotting against her ex-husband and all the residents of the town, and _especially_ plotting against her husband's illegitimate daughter. When she heard the uneasy shuffling and sniffing of her goblin guard, she frowned and moved to investigate. She saw it hunched over, sniffing the air, growling, looking terrified. "What is it? What's happening?" she demanded testily of it.

"Can't you smell it?" the goblin growled, increasingly more agitated. "Can't you sense it's presence?!"

"What presence? What is 'it'?! What could possibly be in this swamp more frightening than I? Now back to work! She ordered. Suddenly the goblin freaked out and turned, fleeing in dread and leaving the shocked witch alone. She looked quickly around. What was it? What was here that was driving off her minion? She scowled darkly and walked out of her hut, peering around. She summoned her broom and climbed on it before flying around her swamp. Nothing seemed out of place. She frowned, flying a little farther, then suddenly stopped. She felt… a presence. She landed and squinted into the darkness. There. In the distance there was a… figure. She couldn't make it out. She frowned and cautiously started towards it, holding her wand at the ready. "Who trespasses in my forest?!" the witch called out indignantly. The figure didn't move. In fact, after a moment of being still it started to approach. She stopped in her tracks, tensing up. What was this?

 _"_ _The witch of the swamp thinks he trespasses,"_ a little voice said.

 _"_ _But how utterly foolish, that she should think him the trespasser,"_ another said.

 _"_ _He_ _ **is**_ _the forest, and the forest is him,"_ a third said.

 _"_ _Witch, witch, it is not he who is in a land not his own,"_ a fourth whispered.

The witch whipped around, eyes wide in alarm, and scanned quickly for the voices, trying to spot them. She looked up in the trees and caught her breath. There, sitting in the bows of the dead trees, were humanoid figures with pointed ears, watching her from high above, eyes expressionless. She cast spells at them immediately. They shrank to a tiny size, sprouted wings, and flew quickly out of the way before returning to the trees again.

 _"_ _She offends his people."_

 _"_ _He will not be pleased."_

 _"_ _Wicked witch, cruel witch, be wary what you offend."_

 _"_ _He comes, he comes, hush now, hush. The king is come."_

The witch looked quickly ahead and screamed upon seeing, in the trees right in front of her, the figure she'd seen looking out, tall and imposing and regal. Her heart pounded hard in her chest as she stared at the thing lingering there in shadows of the dark. She gripped her wand and quickly regained her composure. "Come no closer faery king. You don't belong here. Be gone lest I cast an enchantment upon you not even your fae magic can save you from!" He didn't speak, but the wind began to pick up in the trees slightly.

 _"_ _She challenges him. She thinks herself a match."_

 _"_ _The folly of all mortals."_

 _"_ _She knows not to whom she speaks. Mercy on her, elfin king. Mercy on her."_

The creature stirred, moving a little. "Stay back!" the witch shrieked angrily, preparing a magical blast.

 _"_ _The fair folk dance, the fair folk sing, the fair folk step in the magic ring. Tread not here 'til the light of day or the fair folk steal your soul away…"_ the voices sang eerily in the wind and trees.

 _"_ _Gold and silver shine all 'round, and a thousand lights on the dancing ground. Oh come not here at the fall of night, where the fair folk dance in the waning light,"_ they sang. Eerie sighs and moans accompanied the lyrics as the fair folk began to climb eerily out of the trees on all sides.

 _"_ _Tall and proud and wondrous fair, the people of the dark and air. Hold high the iron that they fear, when the fair folk call don't let them near,"_ they sang.

The witch began backing away, eyes wide and darting all around in slowly mounting fear. She didn't understand why she felt fear! She'd deposed fairies before, so why suddenly, seeing all of this, was she so terrified...?

 _"_ _He plays his games upon her mind, her heart and soul he firmly binds. See the elf king linger there, encroaching on the witch's lair,"_ they sang, fading and reappearing anywhere and everywhere, never returning to the same place twice.

 _"_ _Memories sorrow, illusions grand, the ruler of the fairy land. His mind a maze, with bow and blade, he set upon the witch's glade. There's nowhere to run and nowhere to flee, he is the forest and the forest is he,"_ they sang.

She turned and fled. It was like she was compelled to. She ran to her broom and mounted it and flew away as quickly as she could!

 _But he was there…_

No matter how fast she flew, how erratic, he was there, always there! A glimpse out the corner of her eyes, a figure standing in the path before fading, a breath tickling the back of her neck, an icy touch on her wrist. By the time her hut came into view she was half wild with terror! She raced into it and as she turned to slam shut the door, she saw him there. Lingering. Watching… She screamed, slamming it shut and enchanting it and her whole hut with layers upon layers of spells and incantations in a desperate effort to keep him out and block his illusions. She stood still and mortified, heart pounding, and tried to calm down. She swallowed as her mind slowly began to become her own again.

 _It had stopped being hers…_

She caught her breath at the realization. He had held her mind in the palm of his hand… For a long moment she didn't breathe. When finally she did, it was a shaky breath that she let out. She sat, keeping watch late into the night, and when she was sure he, _it_ , was gone, she dared to crawl into her bed and rest…

 _She awoke with a horrified and terrified gasp, to the feel of a hand covering her mouth and nose and another upon her throat..._

She tried to shriek and tried to thrash, but her body wouldn't move and she couldn't even find her voice!

 _"_ _Should you turn your magic against the people of the valley, it will be with_ _ **me**_ _you contend,"_ his voice hissed darkly in what seemed like both of her ears simultaneously, going straight to her head. Then it was gone, and she jerked awake in bed with a scream and frantically looked around. Nothing was there. Shaking, she swallowed and turned to the window. She shrieked in horror. There, peering in, was a face! Then there was darkness…

Stardew

 _"_ _The witch has been dealt with. For now, at least."_

 _"_ _Then-then she is she alive?"_

 _"_ _You thought otherwise?"_

 _"_ _I sensed, I felt, I heard, her screams…"_

 _"_ _A part of you loves her still… She lives."_

 _"_ _Hmm… Why do you say 'for now'?"_

 _"_ _Because a desire for revenge can be, sometimes, stronger than fear. Or fear can be forgotten…"_

Stardew

"In his breath blows the wind, in his tears the crystal raindrops fall. The willows bow to his majesty, the flowers love his mystery. Upon a chair fringed with gold he sits, and a single look is all he will allow before he is gone from the eyes of those who see," Evelyn said to Jas and Vincent, who listened in rapt attention to her story of the elf king. "Once upon a time there also was a fairy queen."

"Did he love her?" Vincent asked.

"No, my dear. He loved long, long ago and loved no more after his queen died," Evelyn answered. "But the fairy queen and her king were his friends."

"But now the fairies follow him. Where is _their_ queen and king?" Vincent asked.

Evelyn smiled sadly. "Gone. Probably long ago. That is why they follow him now. And he lets them because as they lost their queen, he lost his people. They have only each other now…"

"Is he the last?" Jas asked sadly, looking upset.

"I do not know, my dear," Evelyn replied.

"Filling their heads with fairy tale nonsense. Bah," George complained, flipping through a newspaper.

Evelyn frowned at him then smiled apologetically at the children. "It seems George is getting cranky now, dears. Run along now. That's enough stories for today."

"Goodbye granny," they said together, hurrying out to head home.

Evelyn watched after them with a smile, then turned, frowning at her husband. "Dear, I do wish you would stop trying to squash their hopes and imaginings."

"And I wish this nonsense about faery creatures roaming the forests would end," George replied.

"Don't you believe at all?" Evelyn asked.

George was quiet. Finally, he put down the paper and looked over at her. "I believe," he said finally. "And I believe that people are starting to conveniently forget the fear they had of them once before… When they stop fearing, then the true danger begins. That's why you need to stop feeding those children's wild imaginations! Before they get it into their heads that that thing that lingers in that forest is their friend. They want to like him, fine, play with him, sure, but lest you forget, Evelyn, just _how_ dangerously fond of children those things are. Remember the stories of the changelings, to start?" Evelyn shifted a little uncomfortably. "Exactly. You get caught up in the wonder and fantasy of it all, you start to forget their nature. It's all part of the games they play. Sometimes they let things go, sometimes they use them." Evelyn was quiet. "She travelled to the standing stones and crossed into the green, where all the host of elven folk were dancing there unseen. Through the night she bargained with the queen and fairies all, who sent her home at dawning with a babe beneath her shawl," he quoted from a song he knew his wife liked to listen to sometimes.

Evelyn winced. "How their home was joyful with a son to call their own, but soon they saw the years that passed would never make him grow. The fairies would not answer her the stones were dark and slept…"

"A babe was all she asked for, their promises they'd kept," he finished. " _Never_ forget what that thing is and what it's capable of."

Stardew

The witch poured through her tomes determinedly, desperate to find a way to weaken and destroy the threat she found herself faced with. This elf king who lingered in the valley now and had made it his home. Damn that creature! Damn them all! She'd thought the elven folk had all gone extinct long ago. At least from this place! And that he had gathered to him the scattered remnants of the fairies and the junimos… She raged at the thought. But there had to be a way. A way to be rid of him, a way to drive him out! There had to be a… She stopped, suddenly, at a book.

"The Changelings?" she read out. Her eyes began to brighten in realization. "The changelings," she said again. She grinned wickedly. "The changelings, the changelings!" she cheered before cackling madly and hugging the book to her chest. "The changelings!"

There were children in the village. Two alone and no others. The people were not so oblivious as to not know of the stories of the Fair Folk and their obsessions with mortal children. All she would need to do, the _only_ thing, was make those children disappear... Make them disappear, make it seem as if the elf among them was to blame, and the villagers would do her job _for_ her. A hunt would begin, and with luck there would be no fae creature left in the aftermath in the whole of the valley…

* * *

 **A/N:** When I first started writing this story I had no idea so many would like it. I'm grateful for all the reviews, they mean a lot. I wasn't entirely sure how a story like this would go over in Stardew Valley and I'm happy it's gone over well. I'm sorry for the delay in updating, but when I went into this, not sure if it would work very well, I went into it with only the first year thoroughly planned out. Most of the rest of my ideas I hadn't written down yet and I wasn't sure I would. Now that I know it's gone over well, I certainly will. I'll try to do my best to post seasons as I finished them for you all. Again, thank you for your support. The reviews really motivate me. Anyway, ideas are welcome, and my ideas themselves are free to use if anyone should want to. I'm not totally happy with this chapter, but maybe I'm being a bit over critical.


	7. Second Summer

**Summer**

The farm hand came into the valley with no fanfare. She gave only enough notice for the Mayor to be there with the carpenter. And the farmer…

"Welcome to Stardew Valley, ma'am! A pleasure to make your acquaintance," the Mayor cheerfully greeted. "I hope you'll grow to love this place as your new home. Now admittedly there aren't a lot of job opportunities right now, but you said you were interested in getting into farming?"

"Yes, that's right," the woman said, smiling cheerfully.

"Well we have just the thing for you. This here's our resident farmer. Got himself a thriving business going on in that farm. Main source of income for the town, that one," Lewis said, gesturing for the farmer to approach. He did so silently, eying the newcomer warily. "His farm's big, a lot of work. I'm sure he wouldn't mind the extra help."

The farmer was silent, watching the woman with eyes narrowed. Soon, though, a smile crossed his face. "Not at all, Mayor Lewis," he answered. "It would be my greatest honor." He bowed to her.

"Alright, that's settled then! Of course, she's going to need a place to live. I can build her a house on the farm, just say the word," Robin said, smiling at the farmer.

The farmer gave her a shocked look, not expecting them to volunteer his land for this stranger to live on. The very idea of it disgusted him, and the disgust and displeasure crossed his face briefly before he put on a fake smile. "Yes. Of course. You are aware I have all you need. The sooner started the better," the farmer replied. He turned to the farm hand. "If you would come with me, lady, I will show you to the farm and the fields you will be tending."

"Of course, sir," she said with a little flirty wink at him, taking his arm. He was unfazed, gently extracted his arm from hers, and walked ahead of her away from the bus stop and back to his farm. She started and frowned, but followed nonetheless.

Stardew

She gaped at the farm, the _garden_ , in shock and awe, looking all around.

 _This was not cultivated by mortal hands…_

She looked at the farmer sharply. "Did you do this? Really?" she asked.

"I do not doubt you have heard tale of the elf king who wanders this land. I am… a friend of his. It was he who helped me cultivate it," he answered.

"Oh. Where does this elf king live?" she wondered.

"Lady, do not chase what is so plainly beyond your ilk," he warned. "Enter the woods in which he resides, and you will not return… If you value your being, you will not be out in the garden come nightfall. That is the only rule you must without question obey. That by dark you will be inside and not come out. Nor will you go ever into the secret woods, come evening."

"Very well. I have rules of my own too. You…" she began.

"The only rule within this place that I must follow is to not set one foot inside the house you will have as yours unless invited. You have no authority to make rules beyond that," he cut off firmly. She was quiet, glaring at him. He was unfazed. "You will sleep in the shed, until your home has been built. You _will_ not enter into my halls." She opened her mouth to protest, but before she could he had walked away, and she was left fuming and offended. She scowled and looked around the garden in disgust.

She entered the shed. The moment she did, her disguise vanished. Her true appearance came through. The witch! Grumbling, she took out a tome and laid it down, opening it and reading through it to get a sense of how to tackle an elf in the forest. As she read, a smirk began to cross her lips. You know, she may not have to do a single _thing_ to the children. If she played this game well, the elf would do it _for_ her. It was in his nature, after all… She cackled coldly and shut the tome before setting about making herself a temporary place to stay until the cabin was built by the carpenter. Perhaps she would help the woman and see what gossip she could glean that might help her in her endeavor. She would also need to pry into the farmer's relationship with the elf, when she could. She doubted, though, he'd be of much use to her.

Stardew

"So, what can you tell me about the neighbors, before I head out to introduce myself?" the farm hand asked Robin as she helped the carpenter build. Robin had been ecstatic to learn she had a trade skill. Well, thought she did. Honestly she'd just slipped in some magic use here and there to make it seem like she was a handywoman.

"Oh, where to even begin?" Robin asked with a breathy laugh. "Stardew Valley's full of great people. Let's see… Kent is a recently returned war vet, home from the front lines. He was fighting in the war against the Gotoro Empire. He's suffering from PTSD, I think, so you need to kind of be careful when dealing with him. Loud noises spook him, he's jittery, he's kind of paranoid… But he's a good man. Jo's thrilled to have him back, and his boys are happy to see their dad again. Let's see… I don't even know where to start, honestly."

"Tell me what Kent's so paranoid over," the farm hand replied, frowning in worry. Inside, though, she was thrilled. War and paranoia were perfect starting lines to sew dissention in even the tightest-knit of communities

"Gotoro has a lot of spies around, as I understand it. Some in the most unlikely places. Kent's taken to looking at all of us with a measure of suspicion. He'll get over it eventually, but it's a bit unnerving right now," Robin said. "Dr. Harvey's taking good care of him, though. Helping him with the PTSD and everything. He's a good man, Harvey. He's actually recently started dating my daughter, Maru. My husband Demetrius isn't happy about it, Maru's daddy's little girl, but he's slowly warming up to the thought of them together."

"Why doesn't he like Harvey dating her?" the farm hand asked.

"Well, Harvey's probably at least a decade older than her, to start. It's not that huge of a gap in the grand scheme of things, but it's big enough to raise eyebrows and Demetrius doesn't like that he won't be able to protect her from biting insults or acid tongues, when word gets around about it. He wants to keep her safe and sheltered, but he won't be able to guard her from this. Maru's a brilliant girl. Great at engineering and inventing, good at the sciences. Demetrius wants that to be more her focus than a relationship. She has a lot of promise. You could pick her brain for hours and she'd still have info to spill out," Robin replied.

The farm hand nodded, logging this away for later. "So, Harvey is the town doctor? He must have some experience in psychology too if he's treating this 'Kent' for PTSD," she said to Robin.

"Harvey's very talented," Robin confirmed. "Graduated high school early, went right into medical school, did the whole course and a few specialties on top of it. And he still had time to take some aviation studies courses. He's always loved planes and wanted to be a pilot at some point, I've gathered from what Maru's told me. He knows coordinates, lingo, everything. He even has a radio in his flat. More than once Maru's come in and caught him on it talking to pilots or giving coordinates or weather reports."

"Oh?" the farm hand said, straightening up a bit. Now _this_ was interesting. An ongoing war, a paranoid and suspicious fresh-home war vet, a doctor who kept to himself and used a long-range radio… The pieces of the puzzle were just falling into place so perfectly! If she did this right, she could throw this place into chaos in days. "So far everyone sounds pretty interesting. Can't wait to meet them. Maybe I should head out now, see as many as I can, then get back here in time to help the boss."

"Sure thing," Robin chirped with a bright smile. "Thanks for the help." The farm hand waved, walking off.

Stardew

"Kent, right?" the farm hand greeted the man sitting at the bar with a drink.

"What's it to you?" he asked, not even looking up at her.

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I was just introducing myself to everyone in the town. It's a cute little place, interesting people… I can see why you settled here. You can trust everyone," she said.

"You can never trust everyone," Kent replied. "There's always that one joker who'll stab you in the back. Sometimes they'll even be a friend."

"Wow, that's… jaded," she remarked, grimacing.

"This is war time, ma'am. Don't expect anything from anyone," Kent said. "You'll just be let down."

"I guess. Hey, is anyone helping you through all this? I heard you were a war vet and just… I wanted to know if you were being taken care of," she said.

"I'm seeing a doctor," Kent replied.

"A good one?" she asked.

"He'll do," Kent replied. "Doubt he was stitching up wounded on the battlefield. Takes a special kind of grit for that. He doesn't have it."

"Maybe he _has_. You can't know," she said. Kent huffed in a way that sounded like he wanted to laugh but didn't have the energy for that nonsense. "What?" she asked.

"Harvey's scared of everything. Heights, embarrassment, shadows…" Kent began.

"Yet he can talk you through PTSD like it's just another day, and as a doctor he obviously doesn't have any issues with blood and gore. I mean I know they're trained to be ready for that stuff, but you can't rule out the possibility he's done it hands-on at some point," she said.

"Would have seen him out there on the field at some point if he was army," Kent said.

"Not if he was Gotoro army," she added with a joking tone. It did its job, though. Kent visibly tensed up and looked at her warily out the corners of his eyes. There was silence. "What?" she asked, playing oblivious.

Silence. "What made you say _that_?" he finally asked. Good. He'd taken the bait. Now to reel him in…

"Oh, well, nothing. It was just a joke. I mean Robin mentioned he has a long-range radio in his apartment than he uses regularly, and that he knows all the jargon especially for weather and coordinates. Apparently, he was interested in flying planes when he was small but never could," she answered.

"He has a what?" Kent asked, sure as night followed day focusing in on the radio.

"Uh, a long-range radio. I mean, it's not _that_ weird," she said, frowning in confusion and concern. "You hardly need to make a mountain out of it."

"A long-range radio in wartime? That he uses?" Kent said.

"Are you implying he's a traitor or spy? Even if he is, it could be for _our_ side! Harvey isn't Gotoran. At least not as far as I know," she said. "But then I've only been here a day or so."

"Gods you people can't be this _naïve_!" Kent exclaimed, standing and slamming his hands on the table. "Who else knows about this radio?!"

"I-I don't know. P-probably Maru? The farmer I work for? Maybe everyone! I've only been here a very little while, I don't know," she replied quickly, putting on a perfect mask of fear. "Don't jump to conclusions! It could be nothing, sir."

"Or it could be everything," Kent said, rising and leaving the bar quickly, grabbing his coat on the way out. The woman watched after him and smirked darkly to herself before ordering wine and sipping at it on the barstool. That went better than expected. And hey, if the doctor really _was_ a Gotoran spy, it just worked out for her plans all the better.

Stardew

Maru and Harvey sat together in his apartment sharing some cool lemonade that Maru had made and brought over. Maru was curled up on the couch. Harvey lounged, one leg curled up and the other still on the floor, his arm resting over the back. "I say we use these," Maru said, picking up two wineglasses. "It's too early in the day to be drinking, I think, but let's not be totally without class," she teased.

Harvey smirked and chuckled, reaching out and taking the one she handed him. "I'll drink to that," he replied. She gave him her sweet little grin, tilting her head in the cute way she had, and reached for the pitcher, pouring the drinks. Harvey smiled at her and sipped at his.

"So… It's a year since we got together, you know," Maru said, twirling a strand of her short hair around a finger a bit nervously.

"Mmm. How could I forget?" he replied, smiling down at the lemonade in the glass. "I'm afraid your father's much slower coming around to us than I'd expected he'd be."

"He'll never warm to this," Maru said with a sigh, moving her finger around the rim of the glass and making it sing. "His little girl's flying the nest."

"A hard thing for any parent to swallow, I realize," Harvey said, smiling at her affectionately.

"Yeah… Sebastian and Abigail's wedding was beautiful," she remarked after a while.

"Are you hinting at something?" Harvey teased. Her blushed immensely satisfied him.

"N-no!" she quickly said. "I-I mean not that I wouldn't want… Just… That is…"

He laughed. "Maru, it's alright. There's no need to be flustered. I understand," he said, covering her hand with his. "We don't need to rush into anything. You're still very young. I get it if you don't feel ready for a step like that."

"Oh, like you aren't young," she half teased and half chastised, flicking a strand of his hair.

Harvey smirked, rolling his eyes affectionately. Just then the door was knocked on loudly. He frowned, curious, and looked over. He stayed quiet. "Who is it?" Maru called out.

"Maru? That you? Where's the doc? It's me, Kent," Kent's voice replied.

"Kent? Why on earth are you calling me on my day off? Is there an emergency?" Harvey asked.

"Invite him in or open the door," Maru muttered as a reminder.

"Oh, right. Uh, hold on, I'll get the door!" Harvey said, putting down the glass of lemonade and getting up to answer. He reached it and opened the door to the man, who looked quickly at him and made to go for a gun that wasn't there anymore. No doubt a reflex that would take time to dissipate. Kent relaxed, but suspicion remained in his eyes as he summed Harvey silently up. "Do you want to come in?" Harvey asked, raising an eyebrow at the scrutiny.

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Yeah, I would," Kent replied. Harvey nodded and moved aside, gesturing for him to enter. He did so and paused on seeing Maru. He gave the doctor an odd look. "Am I interrupting something?"

"You are, but if this is important it can be put on hold," Harvey said with a sigh. He looked at Maru apologetically and nodded.

"Say no more, Doctor," Maru said, setting down her glass and rising. "Let me know when you're finished up here and we can resume."

"You don't have to leave on my account," Kent said to her.

"No, it's fine. Really," Maru replied with a kind smile at the man. She went towards them and paused, kissing Harvey's cheek before walking out.

Stardew

Harvey shut the door behind her and turned to Kent. "So, what's the issue?"

"It's nothing, just… Things at home are a bit tense… I feel like I'm a stranger to my own family… I think they feel that way too and it's just… it's hard…" Kent replied, beginning to move around the flat looking at things. Which Harvey was fine with because it seemed to be a coping mechanism for the man. He didn't easily open up about things when talking face-to-face. He needed to be moving, examining, feigning indifference, pretending it wasn't a big deal when it was.

"I believe you," Harvey replied, watching the man explore his flat and taking a seat on a chair, entwining his fingers and observing. "Has something happened that makes you feel like you're a stranger to your family?"

Kent shifted. "I can't… I'm having trouble. Connecting with my children. Sam especially... It feels like these days he resents me more than anything… And Vincent… He's just, he seems so confused. Like he sees something in me I don't… Or don't want to acknowledge… They know I'm different…"

"That doesn't have to be a bad thing," Harvey said.

"Doesn't it? I snapped at Jodi recently. She didn't do anything wrong, just tried to do something nice for me and just… And my kids… I feel like-like I'm not the man she fell in love with anymore. That I'm a cheap imitation of Sam and Vincent's father, not the real thing," Kent said. His eyes found the radio and he stopped, eying it warily.

"Have you talked to Jodi about these feelings?" Harvey asked.

"You know how well I do with that, doc," Kent answered. He moved towards the desk, brushing away some of the papers piled on the radio. It didn't go escaped by him that suddenly Harvey was very quiet.

There was dead silence a long moment. "What's caught your attention, Kent?" Harvey finally asked.

Kent was quiet. "This. This radio. Long-range… The type you communicate with pilots and stuff with… They were common in the military as well as popular with intelligence agencies and the Underground. Spies and saboteurs. Bad memories, I guess… Do doctors need things like this?"

"Rural ones, yes," Harvey replied. "The more rural, the more they need them. Stardew Valley is a long way from the city. Long enough that it matters. The radio could be the difference between life and death one day."

"Been well-used. More than I'd think this little slice of heaven would need it to be," Kent said.

"I sometimes communicate with planes. It was a dream of mine, when I was young, to be a pilot. I studied aviation like mad when I was little. Took courses about it when I was older… But my eyesight wasn't the best, as you can plainly tell, so that was a strike against me, and then on top of it I developed a fear of heights which effectively put a stop to that dream once and for all. I regret it to this day, how things played out regarding a career in aviation, but I'm happy where I am anyway. And every so often I get to indulge myself by making contact with planes soaring overhead and pretending. A bit childish, perhaps, but it's fun. We all need a hobby. It can help us deal with a lot of things life throws at us… Do you have a hobby, Kent? It might help you deal with a lot of the stuff you're going through," Harvey said.

Kent still focused on the radio, examining it. "Show me how it works," he soon said.

Harvey hummed. "You're very… fixated on that radio, aren't you?" he finally replied.

"Show me how it works," Kent repeated, tuning to Harvey with eyes narrowed. Again there was silence, heavy and a bit unsettling. Like waters were being stirred up. Kent glared at Harvey, Harvey stared back calmly with a slight frown on his lips. It could be concern, Kent knew, but a more paranoid part of him tried to insist it meant Harvey was getting antsy about the questioning and demands, which meant the man had something to hide. Finally, though, Harvey rose and went towards Kent, taking a seat and setting the radio up, putting a headphone to his ear as he went through the frequencies until finding an aerial one. "Go through all of them," Kent said. "Don't stop there."

There was a long pause. Harvey did nothing, Kent did nothing. Finally, though, Harvey put down the headset and turned to look at Kent, eyes narrowed warily. "Is something the matter Kent? I need you to be honest with me here. I must confess, I'm suddenly feeling very… cornered."

"Keep. Going," Kent darkly said, eyes almost slits at this point.

Harvey frowned, fingers drumming a bit on the desk. "This frightens you," he finally said to Kent.

"It makes me… antsy. So do me a favor and make me _not_ so antsy by flipping through the rest of the channels, won't you doc?" Kent said, holding his stare. Already Harvey was being gutsier than he'd thought the man was. That was _always_ a warning sign it seemed.

Harvey seemed to weigh his options, the way to best handle this situation. He wouldn't flat out tell him no, that would be too much a provocation for Kent in this mental state. Nor could he necessarily agree to do so. Kent needed to face his traumas, needed to learn to trust, needed to understand he couldn't always be in control anymore and didn't need to be. That was probably part of what was isolating him from his family.

"In the military you have to keep everything under control. If you don't, people die," Harvey remarked finally. "You feel like you need to know everything. There are no secrets among the men. There's little for privacy… It's an unhealthy way to live in the real world."

"What would a guy who's never known war understand about any of that?" Kent asked with a sneer, almost growling it out. "Flip. Through. The damn. Channels."

"And if I refuse? What then, Kent?" Harvey asked. Kent's nostrils were flaring a bit.

Harvey saw it coming before it happened. One second Kent was keeping his distance, the next Kent had seized his shirt, white-knuckled and almost wild-eyed as he glared mercilessly down on him. "Do it!" the man spat.

Harvey was silent and calm, holding Kent's wrists tight like he was willing to fight if need be. Finally, he reached out to the radio. Kent wasn't in a place to be tested right now. This would have to come later, working on his need to be in control and know everything that was going on. He began to go through the rest of the frequencies. Nothing but static or generic conversation being picked up from afar. Harvey reached the end of the frequencies then went all the way to the start once more, then back to the aerial frequency he'd been on once again. Just to satisfy Kent totally. Kent listened close, eying the radio warily. When Harvey finished, Kent let him go tentatively. "Are you satisfied?" Harvey asked.

"What do you need with this thing?" Kent demanded.

"I use it for medical emergencies and my hobby," Harvey reiterated.

Kent glared darkly at Harvey, trying to read him it seemed. Just as it seemed that the man would let it go, though… "Dr. H? Come in Dr. H," a voice said over the radio. Harvey probably would have facepalmed, if he'd had time to. Kent just reacted. He didn't want for an explanation, he didn't wait for anything. Just went at him and tackled Harvey to the ground. Harvey almost panicked before quickly regaining his composure and starting to fight back. He was dragged to his feet and grappled frantically with an enraged Kent who looked both terrified and wild with anger. Kent slammed him against anything and everything. The walls, the desk, the couch, trying to pin him and beat him to a pulp, no doubt, but Harvey managed to get away when Kent almost tripped over a chair, breaking loose and bolting from the flat instantly, Kent hot on his heels.

"Maru! Maru, get in the exam room! Harvey shouted as he charged down the stairs.

"Huh, what? Har…" Maru began.

"Get in there now, dammit!" Harvey shouted, sounding in a panic. Maru, though flustered, didn't question and instead bolted into the exam room. She gasped as she saw Harvey and Kent reach the bottom floor. Kent through himself at Harvey, knocking him to the ground.

"Harvey!" Maru screamed in shock, throwing open the door and racing out.

"Get inside!" Harvey shouted, kicking up right where it hurt. Kent gave a shout of pain, thrown just long enough to Harvey to slip away. Harvey raced to Maru and shoved her into the room, slamming the door behind them and locking it tight. "Call Jodi, now!"

"What's happening?!" Maru freaked, holding her hair in shock and stress.

"PTSD, trauma, and war flashbacks, that's what!" Harvey summarized. Kent was there, suddenly, throwing himself against the door and trying to break in. "Call Jodi now! And literally _anyone_ else who might be able to help!"

Maru, shaken, moved to do so. "Should I try and reach the police?" she asked as she dialed.

"They'll never get here in time from the city. Ready a sedative. I don't want to use it, but if I have to…" Harvey began. He trailed off, shaking his head as he pushed against the door, trying to keep the larger man out.

"Why the hell am I calling Jodi when the sedative's more urgent?!" Maru demanded.

"Do whatever you think is best," Harvey replied. "My focus is currently elsewhere, in case you haven't noticed!"

"What happened?" she demanded again, immediately starting to prepare the sedative. She had to make it strong, so it would act fast, but not too strong.

"He's afraid I'm a spy or something, thanks to my long-range radio and the fact someone tried to contact _me_ on it instead of the other way around," Harvey replied. "I'll try and explain later." Maru nodded, but she didn't need much more explanation to guess what had triggered this reaction in Kent. The Gotoro Empire was notorious for sending out spies in wartime. And even in peace time. They loved their spies. "Kent, calm down! It was a commercial pilot I befriended that called!" Harvey shouted out. "It was just some man!"

Maru quickly finished preparing the sedative as Kent began checking the door to try and break it down. Harvey was gritting his teeth, straining to keep it shut. "It's ready!" Maru said.

"I'll keep him down. Be ready to inject him," Harvey quickly said, opening the door suddenly as Kent went for another check. Kent flew in, and was thrown off balance, yelping as he fell. Harvey leapt on top of him immediately and Maru dove with the sedative, injecting him as quickly and safely as she could manage to. Kent began to thrash and Maru quickly helped Harvey keep him down. In only seconds, Kent's thrashing slowed down more and more and eventually stopped with one more movement. They stayed on him for another two minutes before finally Maru and Harvey tentatively got off of him. They were silent, staring at him.

"I'll call Jodi now," Maru finally said.

Harvey nodded. "Help me get him onto the bed," he said. She went to his legs while Harvey got under his back and shoulders and lifted him from there. The two moved him to the table, laying him down. "I'll make more of the sedative. In case when he wakes up he's still reliving war." Maru nodded and went to make the phone call to Jodi. She had no idea what she'd say to her, but she hoped she handled it the right way…

Stardew

It was tense and awkward in the clinic. Maru was behind the desk, nervously dealing with paper work and general clerical stuff. Harvey was in the room lingering a good distance from the bed and monitoring Kent. Jodi, Sam, and Vincent were all there. Sam was hanging out closer to Harvey than his father, though, looking immensely disappointed but also worried for Kent. Vincent was scared. Jodi looked heartbroken. And afraid. Kent wasn't looking at any of them, staring instead at the wall and keeping stubbornly quiet.

Maru sighed as she stapled some documents together. The lemonade sat forgotten in wine glasses in Harvey's flat. So much for a peaceful day off, she wryly noted to herself. But at least Kent was getting help? She believed? She looked back as the door opened. Harvey came out of it with a sigh, resting his head on the door. "How is he?" Maru asked.

"He's… having trouble," Harvey said. "Which is probably the understatement of the century."

"Are you and him alright now?" Maru asked.

"We seem to be, but it's… hard to tell. It might be best if I refer him to someone else. If he doesn't trust me, I can't help him," Harvey said. "But it's a long trip into the city. A big inconvenience and expense that'll take away from the time he has to spend with his family and repair. It's… not going to be easy on them, if I do that. So we'll have to discuss it in detail."

Maru nodded, put down the papers, and looked at him. "Are _you_ okay?" she asked.

Harvey nodded. "He isn't the first patient to physically attack me, he won't be the last," he said. He looked at her. "And you?"

She was quiet, lower lip trembling slightly before she drew a deep, calming breath. "I'm fine. Shaken but fine. I just… I've never seen a patient like that…"

"It's common. In victims of trauma or PTSD or who are dealing with high emotional stress. "He'll be alright. Eventually. It'll just take work is all. A lot of it. I'm sorry you had to see it."

"You're the one who got attacked. You shouldn't be reassuring _me_ ," she said with a weak laugh.

He smiled ruefully. "It's something _I've_ gotten used to," he replied.

Just then the door to the exam room opened. Harvey and Maru looked back. Jodi was coming out, looking deeply troubled. She looked up at Harvey. "Doctor, I'm so sorry," she said, voice wavering a bit. "I don't know what came over him or why he reacted like he did. Did… did he hurt you?" Her last sentence came out quiet, almost a murmur.

"I'm fine, Jodi," Harvey replied.

Jodi winced, shifting a bit. "I… is there a way we can make up for and settle this without… without calling the authorities at all?" she asked, sounding almost afraid.

"Oh Jodi, no. No, I'm not pressing charges against him," Harvey said, tone becoming immensely sympathetic. Maru smirked at the ground. She loved that about him. How good a heart he had and how gentle he was. Jodi perked up a bit, looking hopeful. "It's not his fault. Don't worry. I can handle him… You might want to talk to him, though. About whether he wants to retain me as his doctor and psych. I'm afraid that if he doesn't trust me, I might not be able to help him. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that, but if it does, I can try to make alternate arrangements that won't be so horribly expensive and inconvenient for you."

"Thank you, Harvey," Jodi said gratefully, tears misting her eyes but not falling. She let out a breath. "Why is everything so hard?" she asked quietly.

"It'll get better," Harvey replied. "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure of it."

Jodi smiled gratefully at him then looked back at the room. "Can… can you tell me what triggered him? So I can make sure I avoid it. And my sons?"

"He saw my long-range radio and got it into his head I was a Gotoran spy. It didn't help that someone tried to contact me on it, instead of the other way around. I tried to explain it was a commercial pilot friend I'd made, but no dice," Harvey said with a sigh.

"A Gotoran spy? Wow," Maru said, a bit surprised at this. "Isn't that a leap?"

"Not necessarily," Harvey replied. "You have to admit, a long-range radio in war time and a nickname that sounds like a codename aren't exactly pinnacles upon which to establish trust. Especially not for him who's probably seen… a lot of really bad stuff."

Jodi nodded. "Thank you, Harvey. Again. I can't even express how grateful I am to you for all this," she said.

"It's alright," Harvey replied, smiling. "Now go in to your husband. Spend time with him. Your presence really helps him, you know. You and the boys. More than you think it does. You make him feel safe again…" Tears burned Jodi's eyes and she swallowed, nodding and entering the room again.

"You're a good person," Maru murmured to him gently. "A really, really good person."

"Hmm… Maybe," he finally replied.

"You are," Maru insisted.

Harvey winced, glancing away before turning back to her with a soft smile. "Thank you." She smiled, nodding at him. "Sorry our anniversary date got interrupted."

"It's fine. We can make it up when this thing with Kent's all cleared away. Even if it means putting if off for tomorrow or even a week from now," Maru said.

"You're wonderful, Maru," he teased, smiling at her.

She smiled back, then frowned in concern. "You should go up to your flat and rest a bit. That must have been a draining experience. If something happens that you need to worry about, I'll come get you, but just rest for now. I'll hold things down here," she said. He nodded and dropped a soft kiss on her temple before heading up to his flat. Harvey shut the door behind him and let out a long sigh, leaning against it and pressing the heels of his hands against his forehead. He shook his head then stood up and went to the radio, tuning into the frequency he'd been on right before Kent went at him. "Dr. H here. Are you still there?" he said into it. "...Good..."

Stardew

The farm hand came, the next day, to visit Kent and Jodi in their home. More specifically Kent, but she had to at least put on a show. The moment Jodi left to finish up whatever it was she was doing, the woman turned to Kent. "I heard about your little… incident at the clinic the other day. I'm sorry about that. I know I probably made you suspicious of Harvey. Kent stayed quiet, jaw hardening a bit as he glared at the table. He sipped from his mug in response. "Did you hurt him very badly?"

"No," Kent immediately said.

"Really? Wow… You're really off your game," she said.

Kent frowned, looking up at her. "What do you mean?" he asked, sounding a bit indignant.

"I mean, look at yourself in comparison to Dr. Harvey. You're muscular, he's lean. You're both tall but even then you're still probably a head taller than him. You're a trained military man, he's a doctor. I mean, how else could he have gotten off so unscathed? Either you're off your game, like I said, or he's…" She stopped, shutting her mouth quickly and looking surprised like she'd been about to say something she probably shouldn't.

Kent was glaring at her now, though. "Hiding serious training or talent," the man finished for her, tone a bit cold and uneasy now.

"He's probably just lucky," she brushed off.

"He has an understanding of what happens in the military that I wouldn't expect of a common doctor," Kent said.

"So maybe he served a term and just doesn't want to talk about it," she brushed off.

"He became… so quiet when he saw me scrutinizing the radio… The air just… it seemed to thicken when I started prying," Kent murmured.

"No one likes to be scrutinized," she replied. "No one likes to not be trusted… He's trying to help you, not kill you."

"He didn't come to the door, when I knocked. It didn't even cross his mind. He didn't even answer. Maru had to. He asked what I was doing there before he even thought to get up, once he figured out it was me," Kent said.

"That… has an explanation. He was with a lady friend on his day off and he didn't want to be interrupted," she said, but she sounded less and less sure.

Kent was dead silent. "Yeah. Yeah. Just… just paranoia… He's done nothing but help me since I got home. Me and my family all… Didn't even press charges against me for what I did… He's a good man."

"And highly intelligent," she said.

"With a long-range radio," Kent said a bit darkly. He winced and shook his head. "No. No, I can't keep doing this. Not trusting. Harvey's done nothing but help. Harvey's a good man. Harvey's done nothing but help. Harvey's a good man."

"Making a new mantra?" she said. "You know, it might help you feel better if you took a sample of his blood or DNA and got it analyzed. Just to prove that he's not Gotoran and therefore not likely an enemy spy."

Kent was quiet. "How could I do that?" he finally asked. "I doubt asking the guy for a sample of his blood or spit is gonna fly. Just make me seem crazier than I probably already seem to him."

"So do it secretly," the farm hand said, a smile pulling at her lips. She held out a thorny rose to him. He looked up at it vaguely. Had she had that the whole time, he wondered? Where had it come from? She must have just been holding onto it. "Go to him, rose in hand. Thank him for all he's done for you. Ask if he can talk for a bit. He'll agree, no doubt. When he does ask him to put the rose in some water because you're going to give it to Jodi when you get home. He'll take it for you. He'll prick his finger on a thorn. Badly. Then you'll have all the DNA you need. You can figure out what to do from there."

"It sounds like a fairy tale," he ruefully said, smirking dryly.

"Not everything told of in fairy tales can be totally disregarded," she answered, smirk growing on her pretty lips. He stared at her with a slight frown for a long while. Finally, though, he reached out and took the rose from her, looking at it. He heard Jodi heading back and tucked it away quickly before going back to his drink in silence.

Stardew

He went the next day to the clinic, conscience pricking at him. He paused outside of it, looking at it uneasily. This was ridiculous. Harvey wouldn't hurt a fly! The man had devoted his life to helping people. He was helping Kent right now! Harvey didn't… he didn't deserve this suspicion. This uncertainty… But dammit, something just wasn't ringing right. There was nothing big, no, but there was this constant stream of little tiny coincidences and questions that just… it kept snowballing. There was a point where you couldn't just ignore all the little things anymore! The long-range radio, the amount of knowledge he had on aviation and coordinates, people contacting him over said radio and him contacting them, the strange 'Dr. H' nickname, his seemingly acquainted knowledge of what went on in the battlefield, the man's caution, the way he'd been able to fend off a trained army man long enough to get away practically unscathed… His antsy behavior when he'd started to pay attention to the radio… He shook his head. Maybe it was all just coincidence, but he needed to settle his mind. This DNA test might help him get over this once and for all. Of course, Harvey having no Gotoran in him didn't mean a thing, necessarily, but it was a damn sight more likely, then, that he wouldn't be bothered with those people either.

Kent took a deep breath and pushed open the door. Harvey was behind the desk this time. Either Maru wasn't working today or hadn't arrived yet. Harvey looked up and smiled kindly. "Kent, hello. How are you today?" Harvey asked.

"I've been better… A lot better…" Kent said.

Harvey frowned in concern. "Flashbacks?" he questioned, tone sympathetic.

"No. Guilt. Can we talk?" Kent asked, gesturing towards Harvey's flat. Harvey hesitated at first, but soon nodded and stood up straight, leading the way up. Kent followed him.

Harvey shut the door behind them. "Sit," he said, gesturing to the couch. Kent did so and Harvey joined him. Kent, he noted, held a rose in his hands, twirling it gently between his fingers. "So. Guilt. Survivor's? Or is this more remorse for… the things that happened there."

Kent shuddered visibly. Harvey didn't press. "I just… No. Guilt for what I did. For attacking you the other day. I just… I shouldn't have… I don't know what came over me. I'm… I'm sorry…" Harvey nodded. Kent shifted. "Can you put this in some water for me? Gonna bring it to Jodi, but I don't know… how long I'll need to be here before going for it."

"Of course," Harvey replied. He reached out for the rose. Kent hesitated, wincing, but then gave it to him. The moment Harvey touched it he gasped in pain, quickly withdrawing. "Damn! Oh, excuse my language. I just didn't see a thorn there. Sorry." He reached into a pocket, pulling out a tissue and holding it over the wound. "Wow that's bleeding." Kent was quiet, looking at the rose. It had punctured deep. Blood dripped off the thorn that had pierced Harvey's skin. It ran down the stem slowly. He shuddered, memories of battle returning in force. Harvey took the rose again, getting up and moving to put it in water. Kent sat utterly still then took the bloody tissue, tucking it into a pocket. Soon Harvey returned and looked at him. He frowned in concern. Kent was unnervingly pale. He didn't speak to the man. Just sat there with him.

Kent was quiet. Finally, he drew in a shuddering breath. "Sorry," he said.

"It wasn't you," Harvey said.

"I'm sorry…" Kent repeated in a whisper.

Harvey was quiet. "You did what you had to, to come home… No one can blame you for wanting to come home…" he softly said. Kent was quiet, tears threatening his eyes. Harvey mentally noted that he was probably dealing with a mix of remorse and survivor's guilt.

"I'm… I didn't want to hurt you… I just… I have to know…" Kent said.

Harvey frowned at the use of the present tense. "Have to know what?" he finally asked.

"I just… I want to trust again, Harvey," Kent said, head hung low. Harvey was quiet. Kent glanced up. Harvey was looking away, visibly uncomfortable now. Maybe even guilty… Another little coincidence that just served to make him more suspicious… "I want to trust again," he repeated again.

Harvey was quiet. "What do you have to know?" he finally repeated.

Kent was quiet. The question was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't get it out. It was too dangerous a question to ask… Far too dangerous… But then he wasn't exactly all that self-preserving lately. He bit back the question though, bowing his head again. Harvey watched him quietly, looked like he wanted to say something, but ultimately also chose not to. "No where's safe, it feels like… I can't escape this war anywhere I go…"

"You aren't the only one who feels that way," Harvey gently said. "Believe me." Kent nodded.

Neither spoke again for a long time. "I should go," Kent finally said. Harvey nodded and rose, retrieving the flower and giving it back to Kent. Kent rose and left without so much as a goodbye. Harvey didn't watch after him, just staring ahead at his walls quietly. The door shut, and Harvey closed his eyes tightly, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

Stardew

Kent stared at the results of the DNA test a couple weeks later. He was dead silent. Jodi was off at aerobics, Vincent was being schooled by Penny, Sam was with his friends. He was alone here. The answers he'd sought were in font of him. He hadn't opened them yet, though. His jaw twitched and finally he tore it open. Just rip off the bandage, he said to himself. Just get it done. He reached in and paused. He didn't want to know… But he had to… He had to know. He had to keep his family safe… But what even did he think he was going to do when he learned? If Harvey was Gotoron, what was his plan? Go in there and accuse him on circumstantial evidence? Condemn him because what? He wasn't like the rest of them? Because he had the blood of an enemy nation inside him? That didn't mean anything! It didn't… it didn't mean anything… At least it wouldn't at any other time in history… But this _wasn't_ any other time in history… He pulled out the paper, read it through, then covered his mouth, shaking his head in denial and closing his eyes. He sobbed, bowing his head low.

 _Gotoro Empire – 70%_

Stardew

Harvey stared down at the paper Kent presented him with. He was completely expressionless as he read it through. Kent was silent. Finally, Harvey took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. He looked up at Kent once more, putting them back on. "If you wanted to know my race, Kent, you could have just asked. I would have told you," he said, voice a bit cold.

"I think you knew it was what I wanted to ask. At least in part," Kent replied.

Harvey hummed. "Confessing to something like this in these times can be… dangerous. Especially when you confess it to someone already suspicious of you, and who already went at you with less-than-friendly intent," he said. It came out more biting than he'd wanted it to, but he didn't retract his words. He was genuinely upset and a bit offended at this. Kent might as well be aware of that fact before they got into this further. Kent tensed a little, but didn't say anything. "There's a Gotoran trader who comes into town regularly, you know. A refugee. She's just trying to make her way. Find a better life in a land that isn't being sieged from every side including its own… Innocent... You told me you were a prisoner there, for a while. In that place. I know what those can be like."

"How?" Kent immediately demanded.

"I read," Harvey replied.

"But you've never been in a camp yourself!" Kent snapped sharply. "You can't know unless you've been there, damn you!"

"...You're right... I'm sorry... Kent, I don't want to hurt you. You or anyone here," Harvey said. "I wanted trust because you needed to be _able_ to trust. I want to help you through this, the psychological scarring, the issues, the everything! I don't want to cost you and your family and arm and a leg by referring you to someone in the city. I kept quiet because I knew that if you figured out I was mostly Gotoran, the trust you and I need between us to make this work, would be gone."

"I never had the trust to start," Kent replied, turning and storming out. Harvey was quiet, frustratedly staring at the DNA results in front of him. He cursed under his breath and grabbed it, crumpling it up and throwing it into a trash bin in disgust. He folded his hands in front of him and began to think. This? This significantly complicated things. Now where did he go from here, he wondered? Dammit Kent…

Stardew

The farm hand watched as the very worked up and angry looking Kent left the doctor's office, already plotting something no doubt. Perhaps a way to deal with this 'Gotoran Spy'. Frankly with all the little coincidences surrounding the good doctor, she was almost starting to believe she _hadn't_ just pulled that implication from nowhere. It might actually have a base. If it did, that made everything absolutely beautiful, she thought. The seeds of dissention and strife were sown. The children would, of course, be affected most by it. And that was what she was counting on. The more distressed they became, the more likely it would be that the elf king that lingered somewhere in these forests would come to take them away from all the pain and anxiety… If he liked them, he wouldn't approve of seeing them suffer. He would move to take them far from the grief and to a place where there would be no more. Or very little. He would move to preserve their innocence… The fae did so like preserving innocence… Well, generally.

Stardew

In the summer came the Luau. There was no sign of the farmer. There had been no sign of him last year at this festivity either. Last year he had attended only the Flower Dance, the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, Spirit's Eve for the purpose of finding something but not for participating, and the Festival of Ice. It seemed perhaps the pattern would repeat.

 _Except at the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, he failed to appear…_

 _He_ failed to, but from out of the woods walked an ethereal white stag that wandered to the edge of the sea and gazed out over it in silence. The jellies gathered around it, all of them, and it bowed its head to touch each one of them as it walked out into the ocean waves. It began to swim there, out to the lonely rock, and clambered onto it before staring at all the villagers… In their hearts they knew who and what it was… It stayed there until every one of them had gone…

 _The witch trembled in anticipation. It was really there…_


	8. Second Fall

**Fall**

The atmosphere was tense, these days. News of the animosity Kent had towards Harvey had spread fast. No one knew why it had happened. The speculation ran wild. It didn't make things pleasant. If nothing else, though, Kent was keeping quiet about Harvey's nationality. For which Harvey was grateful. He wasn't sure how much longer he'd be extended that courtesy, though. It was only a matter of time before _it_ got out too. Rarely could anyone keep a secret in a tiny village like this. Kent had also been grilling the Gotoran trader that came to town regularly, demanding to know if she had connections to the town doctor. After all, if Harvey _was_ a spy, she was probably his contact. She'd confirmed she knew Harvey and knew his heritage, which hadn't helped either of them. Fortunately, Harvey had come upon the scene before Kent really got going, and told him off for harassing the poor woman. He'd gotten a discount out of it, which was a bonus. The woman wasn't afraid to charge after all, and happened to have some of the best wares out there.

On the psychiatric front, at one point Harvey had offered Kent a referral to another doctor in the city. Kent had just gotten up and walked out, which wasn't promising and was in fact a big concern of Harvey's. He wasn't sure why the man kept coming back to him. Maybe because Kent felt it was for the good of his family? Or maybe he was keeping tabs on him on the sly, searching around for any incriminating evidence. Harvey had tried to explain to Kent that going to see a psychiatrist in the city would his best bet to get back to normal. Jodi and the kids needed him to be okay again and in a stable place once more. A place Harvey didn't believe Kent could get to if he kept coming to him. Especially given what was going on between them. Kent kept ignoring his advice, though, and so things _kept_ being hard and painful for the veteran and his family. It wasn't a good environment. Harvey was trying, but they'd gone back to square one. Sessions were doing precious little good, advancement was at a sloth's pace, and Kent was just getting worse. At this point Harvey didn't know what to do about him.

Meanwhile, the witch was getting agitated. The doctor was too neutral and calm. He wasn't acting out, wasn't antagonizing Kent, and so Kent felt no desire to antagonize him. At _this_ rate they would be back to neutral ground in no time, and that wouldn't serve her plans well at all. She needed strife, she needed grief, she needed the children to break and flee to their faery friend. She needed the elf to act… She hadn't seen the creature since its appearance as a stag at the dance of the moonlight jellies. For that matter she'd hardly even seen the farmer! The elf king's pet, no doubt, or a vassal. Perhaps she should move against _him_ to draw the thing out.

She shook her head, focusing on Kent who was leaving his latest session with Harvey. Harvey was tentatively saying goodbye. Kent gave him no response, just looked increasingly more miserable and guilty as the days went by. Before he got back to ground zero, she had to see him snap. Either at the doctor or at his family! Draw out a fight, draw out strife. Drive him to beat the doctor, make his sons flee from the home, anything! His youngest would run into the woods if things got very stressful. The elf would find him. _Then_ at least there would be progress. She could cause strife. She was good at causing strife…

"Kent!" she called out to him. He glanced over. "I'm meeting up with some friends at the Saloon. Why don't you come along?" she said. It was a lie, of course, but that was alright. All the better, in fact. His son would be there today. His eldest. Kent was probably too much a wreck to take note of the schedules of his children right now, or so she was hoping. The boy Sam, upon seeing his father alone with a woman that wasn't a mother, might react less than well given the tension between him and his father. Then she would watch the house of cards start to tumble.

Kent looked over at her and seemed to lean more towards refusal, jaw tightening a bit. "It'll help you relax. Besides, there's… I witnessed something you might want to know about. Regarding Harvey." The mention of Harvey was the killing blow. He went without a word, walking right passed her and straight to the saloon. She smirked.

KAK

Kent listened carefully to the information the farm hand was giving him. It seemed Harvey went into the city on the same day each season. That could have been excused, after all the doctor needed to restock the clinic, but there was one thing wrong with that excuse. Harvey restocked on the first day of each season. This date the woman was mentioning? It was smack dab in the middle. There was absolutely no reason for Harvey to go to Zuzu city at that time. He was silent as he took in the woman's words, grim-faced.

"Is everything alright?" she asked him. He just drank from his mug. "What's your plan?" she asked after a moment. Again, he didn't reply. "Talk to me," she pled. He inwardly winced. Those were the words Jodi had taken to using on him these days…

"I don't know," he replied. He answered because he'd decided to make a concerted effort to try and respond to those words even if it was only to say he didn't know or he didn't feel ready to talk about it. That was what Harvey had encouraged him to do. Whether or not the doc was a spy, the man knew his stuff.

"Well… if you want a suggestion then I'd say follow him. When he heads out next time, follow him. The day he leaves again is coming up," she said.

"How do you know about this pattern of his? You haven't been here more than a season," Kent said.

"I'm friendly with Maru," the farm hand answered, flipping her hair over to appear like she was flirting. His son would be by very soon now.

"Hmm… Fine. I'll do it," he said.

"Oh, I know you will," she said, leaning towards him closely. He barely noticed, he was so distracted with his own thoughts. And right on cue the saloon doors opened and she heard a gasp.

"Dad?!" a voice exclaimed.

Kent started and whipped around in surprise, eyes wide. "Sam!" he exclaimed, quickly rising from the stool as he realized how this probably looked to his son. He didn't spit out the classic 'it's not what it looks like' line, he knew full well that just made you seem guilty, he just settled with the name.

"What the hell are you doing with _her_?!" Sam demanded, pointing at the farm hand. "Where's mom?!"

Kent visibly flustered, settled for truth. "Your mother is at home," he replied, trying to keep calm. "The farm hand was meeting up with friends here and invited me along."

"Oh yeah? Where are her friends then?!" Sam all but sneered. "And why was she so close to you?!"

Kent opened his mouth then closed it again, suddenly aware he didn't have a believable answer to that. Sam scoffed and turned, storming out in anger. "Sam! Sam, wait, I'm telling you the truth! Sam!" Kent called, immediately grabbing his coat and going after his son, flustered and nervous. The witch watched them leave and smiled into her drink, ignoring the unimpressed glare Gus the bartender was giving her.

KAK

The shouting match could be heard even by Emily and Haley in their house, that night. Anyone walking too close _by_ could hear it. It was between Jodi, Kent, and Sam all, and it was ugly. It was to be expected that the child couldn't bear it. He burst out of the house in tears, running away as fast as he could from all of them. He doubted they even realized he'd left. Maybe if he ran away from home they'd stop fighting and look for him! Then they wouldn't argue or yell anymore because they were looking for him, and when they found him they'd be so happy again that they wouldn't argue anymore or fight, and daddy would be okay again and mommy wouldn't be crying her eyes out and Sam wouldn't be so angry and hurt and they could be like they were!

He didn't know where he could run. Not to Jas's house, because that would be the first place they looked! He ran into Cindersnap Forest blindly, tears blurring his vision as he sniffed and tried frantically to wipe them away. He didn't know where his feet would take him, but as long as they took him away from the fighting he didn't care!

 _…_ _He stepped into the Elf King's glade…_

He wasn't even aware he'd done it, that he'd come upon the glen. He just knew that suddenly it was so, so peaceful and quiet… He could hear water running softly, a gentle breeze in the trees, wind whispering through the branches. It sounded so soothing. Like mama's gentle voice when she was trying to put him back to sleep after a nightmare. It was almost like it was speaking to him… He heard crickets chirping softly every so often, but not enough that it was annoying... He felt safe here… There was a waterfall, he saw. Up ahead, emptying into a pond. He went to it and sat, sniffing. He curled in on himself and just cried. He didn't try to hold back or anything. He let himself weep in grief and hurt and fear.

 _…_ _He felt his presence before he saw him…_

For a long moment there as just quiet. He knew its eyes were on him, but it didn't speak; so he didn't look up. Finally, it spoke. _"You aren't supposed to be here,"_ he said, voice deep and lulling.

"I don't care," Vincent answered tearfully, voice breaking. "Anywhere is better than home." He didn't hear him approaching, but knew he was. He sensed it cross the pond to kneel in front of him.

 _"_ _Human child, what woe has seized your heart so deep?"_ it asked.

Vincent burst into fresh tears and blurted out everything, all but melting into the creature's arms and holding onto him like he was the one stable thing he had left in the world. He told him about how his father had changed, about how the man was hurt and so different and always seemed to be in so much pain and so sad. He told about how his brother was becoming so angry and hurt too, and worried and devastated for their father. About how Sam wished he could do something but didn't know how. He told him how mama cried every night because seeing papa like this, so closed off and far away, killed her inside. He told him how papa tried to play with him sometimes but then always ended up drifting off like he was somewhere else entirely instead of there with his family, safe at home.

It listened quietly, the ruler of the fae, and held the child gently. Its embrace was impersonal, but felt so very tender and comforting, its fingers gently combing through the little boy's hair in a soothing manner. Vincent wondered if once the elf king had had little ones of his own. It felt like he had. He probably didn't want to know why they weren't here with him anymore…

"Come away, oh human child," it finally said. And his tone… it was hard to describe. Dark but reassuring. Like a lure on a fishing line. Tempting, so very tempting and promising… but so dangerous also… "Come away with me. There is a place, in my glade, where the fairies have lain their vats. They are filled with reddest berries. Many colorful flowers are there on that beach. You dear child, come, go with me. Beautiful games I will play with you, and when it grow cold you may snuggle into a beautiful golden blanket and sleep."

"Berries and games?" Vincent asked, looking up at him with teary eyes.

"Most delicious berries and most lovely games," it confirmed, smiling a gentle smile. "Do you, fine boy, want to go with me? The fairies shall wait on you finely. The fairies lead the nightly dance, you know. They shall rock and dance and sing to bring you in."

Vincent wasn't sure what the elf king meant, but it sounded so wonderful… "You'll let me stay?" he asked, voice breaking a bit.

"I am charmed by you, little one. I care very much that you have sought me out, so sorrowful and solemn-eyed. Now come with me... If you aren't willing, I'll use force..." he said, tapping the boy's nose. He said it in a teasing tone, his smile light and playful… But somewhere deep inside, Vincent knew the creature wasn't joking… Yet he still couldn't bring himself to care or to refuse... "Come, stolen child, and let us walk hand in hand into the waters and wild, far away from your pain and from your grief. The world is more full of weeping than you can understand. It is not the sort of life you deserve to live. Come, and we will weave golden dances as the moon takes flight into the sky. To and fro you will leap in joy and merriment, never more to know grief or sorrow. You will be forever safe in my glade. While the world is full of troubles, anxious in its sleep, you will chase the frothy bubbles of my streams to your heart's content, dance and play with the fairies and junimos. No more will you face the strife and grief of your parents… Come away, human child…"

Vincent, gazing up at him, reached almost unconsciously out, taking the elf king's hand. The creatures closed his hand around Vincent's, firm enough that should the child decide to try and struggle, he'd have no success. He smiled a smile that seemed somehow victorious and malicious, but also kind and reassuring at the same time. He rose slowly, eyes glittering in the moonlight, and Vincent didn't know whether to be terrified or relieved…

 _By the morning the boy had vanished into thin air…_

Stardew

There was instant and mass panic the moment it was discovered Vincent wasn't there, and everyone in town had gathered immediately at Town Hall. Jodi was sobbing, clinging to her husband. Kent had lost all control and was freaking out at anything and anyone except his family. He held Jodi tightly in his arms, almost painfully. Sam was having a panic attack nearby, and Jas was crying in Shane's arms as Shane stood grim and serious and concerned. Evelyn, Elliot, Willie, and Linus were grouped together away from the others, deeply disturbed. They knew immediately who would be blamed… For once they couldn't blame them, because this? _This_ was damning…

"It took him. That thing took Vincent!" Marnie wailed. Even Shane, who adamantly refused to allow himself to accept the fact he had indeed seen elves—it had to be just some crazy cult with a mind-altering drug, it had to be—looked shaken at those words.

"That's not possible! The elf king likes those children, and even if he didn't they know better than to go there at night," Lewis tried to assure. "There's probably a logical explanation. Maybe what happened to Jas last year is happening to Vincent now! If we scour the forest I'm sure we'll find him. Right?"

"Ask the farmer where the elf is," the farm hand spoke up. All of them stiffened and every eye went quickly to said farmer. The farmer lingered in the back, expression set in a guarded frown as his eyes swept silently, calculatingly, over them all.

"Farmer, if you know where he is, if you're really some vassal of this mysterious creature, please, tell us where he is!" Lewis begged frantically.

The farmer was quiet. "I am no vassal," he finally answered. "He… offered his help to me, once upon a time, and kept coming back… But I know not where the elf king resides or what he does or where he is or who he is… He told me none of it. Should he again come to me, I will confront him… But I do not believe he _will_ return… Not after this." The townspeople looked devastated and lost. "Search the woods all you will. But if indeed it was the elf king who stole away the child, you will not find him. And you have only yourselves to blame."

"What?" Kent demanded in a growl, icy and dangerous. He looked like he was about to go at the man. If not for the fact Jodi was in his arms, he probably would have.

The farmer gave a small smile, condescending and unimpressed. "It would not have taken the child for no reason, if indeed it took him, and the child would not have fled to him for no reason. So ask yourselves. What was it that drove the boy to flee from you?" the farmer replied, eyes fixed solely on the boy's family. Kent and Jodi were pale, understanding immediately what had driven Vince to run. "Your son's disappearance lies solely on you. Now you pay the price for your conceit and selfishness."

"No! No, please, please, tell me where my baby is! Tell me where my baby is!" Jodi pled desperately. Kent looked panicked, now, and flustered, searching frantically for words but unable to find them. Sam, fists clenched, was shaking in outrage and anger. All at once he tried to go at the farmer! Sebastian gasped, quickly seizing his friend and holding him back.

"Where is that elf?! Where did he take my baby brother?! Tell me!" Sam furiously shouted. The farmer turned and left without a word in response. "Coward, get back here! Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?!"

Now the witch was no fool. She stared after the farmer, eyes wide in shock and disbelief. It had taken her only seconds to piece together the truth… That the words that man had spoken were not words that fit in the mouth of a normal, functioning human. His callous reaction to the bereaved family that was neither wicked nor kind but only true, maybe with a tinge of bitterness easily explained away by his fondness for the children. The way he turned unapologetic and left wordlessly. Suddenly so much began to make sense that had puzzled her before. She lived in the presence of the elven king! She lived in his fields, in his glade, and he despised it because she did not belong there. _That_ was why her cabin had been built so close to the way out and so far from him. _That_ was why he laid out such strange rules to her. He had been in front of her all along…

She grinned wickedly, eyes glittering. This was more than perfect. She didn't even need to work on the Kent front anymore! She'd pushed things just far enough for the ball to start rolling. She had never expected it to start rolling so quickly, no, but she certainly wasn't complaining. She would wait one night, she decided, during which she would search for the child. She wouldn't find him, she knew as much, but tomorrow she would return to town and she would tell them all what their beloved farmer really was… Then she would let the chips fall where they may…

Stardew

Every member of the town, and even some outside of it, scoured the valley for Vincent, calling frantically for him and searching every place they could think of. Every member except the farmer. All day and well into the night they sought the child, but they couldn't find him and soon had no choice but to call off the search ffor the night and return home to sleep so they could start at the crack of dawn tomorrow. The witch watched them all go and cackled a little, letting her normal form reappear, summoning her broom, and climbing onto it. She flew quickly and silently through the elfin glade, keeping up a spell of protection to defend from any trickery. She also cast a spell that warned her when the elf king was too close, or any of his subjects. It wasn't long before she realized it had sensed her and was following, because suddenly she was being regularly warned of something lingering in the darkness. And it was getting closer. She took off immediately into the sky, flying away cackling.

 _It knew what would happen. It had known who she was from the start…_

Now it would pay the price for its own silence. She landed somewhere safe, where she knew it wouldn't find her, and settled in to plot out the story she would tell the townspeople that would finally and completely turn them against the faery creature…

Stardew

"Mayor Lewis, I know where the elf king is!" the farmhand blurted, bursting into City Hall looking panicked. "You have to call the others, now! They all have to know!" Lewis, flustered, didn't even take the time to question, just immediately hurried to summon the people of Stardew Valley.

It was only minutes before everyone was gathered there, from the Adventurer's Guild and Gunther, to the Wizard, who she glared at icily and darkly. He hadn't yet put the pieces together. Good. If she kept this up, he never would. And all the better too. Soon the town would be focused on driving out the elf king. Their attention would be totally off her and she could go about making Rasmodius suffer by hurting the people he cared so much for, the sentimental fool. And there would be no elf king to aid them anymore… It would either be dead, driven out, or turning his back on the people who were turning on him.

 _The farmer wasn't there…_

"Where is it? Where is the dirty thing that took my son?!" Kent immediately demanded, looking ready to go to war.

Evelyn fretted fearfully, wringing her hands together. Elliott and Linus shrank down, keeping out of public view. The others who knew the truth of the farmer looked equally as uncomfortable. None of them had tried to enter the farmer's field. Well, Penny had. She'd stood on the edge of it, psyching herself up to go in, but Sam had stopped her. He'd been worried about her… How could she tell him that the farmer was the elf just like that…? He would have gotten himself killed just storming in there vengefully searching for Vince! She could have found the creature… But she hadn't wanted Sam to be hurt! She'd planned to go there today. She'd been gathering supplies to leave and had been writing a note to Elliott, informing him of her plan, when the call from the Mayor had come through… Then _everything_ seemed to come crashing down…

"I searched for Vince a little longer last night," the farmhand said. "I went out after dark, in the farmer's field, thinking that maybe the elf would come. There had to be a reason he gave me the rule not to go out at night! I hid in the corn, waiting to hear it… Then the door of the farmhouse opened, and the farmer came out… But he wasn't the farmer! It was _him_! It was the elfin king! Tall and proud and fair, eyes both blue and gray like an angry sky or a stormy ocean. He wasn't in farm clothes anymore. He was arrayed in silver and white robes with a long cape, and in his hand was an oaken staff. On his head was a crown of berries and red leaves woven between jagged twigs! He left the farmhouse in silence and went into the forest. I didn't dare follow him in case he spotted me and enthralled me. Then I couldn't have given any of you this warning. The farmer in your midst. He isn't what he pretends to be! He _is_ the elfin king, and what he presents to you is nothing but illusion!"

Horror and outrage and shock and grief and guilt… All of those and more were the emotions that crossed the expressions of the townspeople. They didn't even question it or challenge the declaration, because this statement suddenly made everything about the man make so much more sense. They wondered at how they hadn't put it together before! Not one of them knew what to say to this. The farmer had saved their valley. He had brought back the Community Center, had driven out Joja Mart and transformed the abandoned wreck into a housing unit, had paid for a new home to be built for Pam and Penny, had filled out the museum and the library and cleared out the mines over and over to keep them all safe. He had fixed the bridge to the secret beach, had repaired the minecarts and the bus, and he'd done so much more! Now _this_?

Neither Elliott or Evelyn chimed in with their typical 'the fae are neither kind nor cruel' spiel, because the way _Kent_ looked? It would probably be suicide. Not even Rasmodius dared to speak. Not even those whom the elf had _befriended_ —if it could be called that—spoke. "Where is the farmer?" Kent's dark and murderous voice finally asked.

"At his farm of course. At least he was," the witch replied, keeping on the mask of concern and fear. Kent spun on his heel, storming towards the door fully intent on grabbing his gun and going at it.

"Sam. Where's Sam?!" Penny suddenly said, looking around fearfully. He'd been right here standing behind her! Oh no… What if he'd already rushed out?! Kent froze in place. Jodi stood still in shock as she registered what Penny had just said.

"Oh shi…" Sebastian began.

Kent charged like a bull out of the town hall, running straight to his home to grab every weapon he could get his hands on and still carry. He didn't even hear the warning shouts of the other villagers, or the pleas of his wife to be smart about this. He just ran. "Kent!" Jodi screamed, racing after her husband frantically. Penny gasped, following them in fear. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening! …Only the Wizard and the Witch remained…

Stardew

Rasmodius stared at her, eyes narrowed and expression cold. She looked over towards him and gave a lazy, triumphant smile. "Only _you_ could wish this amount of pain and stress and grief on these good people… I should have known the moment you first came…" he said.

"I warned you what would happen. It seems not even your elfin friend can help them now," the witch replied, abandoning the faux appearance and taking on the true one. "I said I would make the people of this valley suffer, so suffer they will. This is only the beginning. And now you can't even call on _it_. He'll either be dead or will have fled and turned his back on these people for this slight… And they'll be torn forever in a civil war between themselves as to whether the elf is good or wicked, and whether it should die or live. Kent left one war behind. Now he's walked into a new and totally different one. He'll be _my_ vassal and pawn in this fight. Where has _yours_ gone? Or was it you who was the vassal and pawn? Oh what am I saying, of course it was. As if the erl-king could be made anyone's pet. Will it be your illegitimate child, I wonder, who you'll recruit? Perhaps the writer with all his fanciful thoughts and imaginings? Maybe my own pawn's son or wife, when all's said and done. It doesn't matter. Really there's no one here who'll be able to stand against a PTSD army vet with a vendetta. No one but you, maybe. Perhaps Shane in a rage, if you anger him well enough and if Kent isn't armed. Maybe one of the old men at the Adventurer's Guild, but I doubt it seriously."

"He has our help if he needs it," a voice said. The witch and Rasmodius gasped, turning quickly. Rasmodius started then smirked. Marlon. The man came alongside him, glaring daggers at the witch.

"Swords against guns… Pathetic," the witch replied, glaring. "Enjoy the chaos that's to come of this, fools. I'll just sit back and laugh at the strife and war that will soon break out." Cackling, she summoned her broom and flew away.

Rasmodius and Marlon looked after her, eyes narrowed. "Damn her," Rasmodius finally said.

Marlon grunted in agreement. He looked over at the wizard. "If her vassal and pawn will be Kent, you know of course who yours must be." Rasmodius was quiet. "You know there's no one more suited to it. It _has_ to be the doctor. He knows how Kent ticks."

"Kent doesn't trust him. You can't be so blind that you haven't noticed what's been going on between them," Rasmodius said.

"That was mighty low," Marlon flatly said.

Rasmodius sighed. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry," he said.

Marlon shrugged. "You have the guild's help, but you need Harvey's more," he said.

"What can Harvey do? Play psychological games with Kent? He isn't that sort of person. He isn't that cruel," Rasmodius said.

"Well he might have to be," Marlon said. "Because a rampaging and wildly suspicious POW with PTSD, trust issues, and a vendetta, will only end in death and tears. And not just for the guilty. That thing took his little son… It may cost him his eldest now too, and if things go particularly horribly possibly his wife as well. He's just unlucky enough to be the only one to escape. You think he'll tolerate anyone or _anything_ taking the elf king's side after all that…?"

Rasmodius was quiet, head hung. "Harvey isn't that cruel," he finally repeated.

"Maybe he won't have to be… That's something you need to discover for yourself. By asking _him_ ," Marlon said. "And again, you have our backing… I always suspected there was something particularly special about that farmer… I'm less than surprised this is it."

Rasmodius nodded. "Thank you," he said. He would… have to look into Harvey. Maybe the travelling merchant would have some insight on the quiet doctor who tended to like to keep to himself.

Stardew

Sam had slipped out the minute it left the farmhand's mouth that the farmer was the elf king. He went there with nothing on his mind except getting his brother back by any means necessary. Oh he was so going to get arrested for this… He ran onto the field without hesitation. He immediately began trying to kick down the door to the farmhouse which, FYI, wasn't half as easy as they made it look in the movies. It seemed to be weakest by the door handle, so he focused attention there before stopping, panting, and backing up a bit to see if there wasn't an easier way in. When he looked, though, he gasped, paling. The farm looked totally dilapidated! _Nothing_ like what it had become under the farmer's hand! Was this the illusion or the reality, he wondered with a chill? "Open up!" he shouted, running at the door again and pounding at it. "I know you're here! Open up, you psycho creep! Give me back my baby brother! Give me Vincent right now, damn you! I said open up!" He viciously kicked at the door handle again. This time it cracked and started to splinter. He kicked it four more times before it finally gave way, crashing open. He ran into the house and froze, catching his breath with eyes widening in shock. "Oh. My god," he said numbly.

He felt like he'd stepped from outside into outside. The floor looked as if it were made of the greenest grass. The walls appeared as an endless night sky. Trees and flowers and plants and earthy pillars adorned it, the furniture made of wood that still retained its leaves… None of it was dying… It was beautiful…There was no television, no phone, no modern convenience except the appliances Robin had put in with the kitchen upgrades. Probably the basement ones too… But it went unused… This house… It was almost like nothing had lived in this place… He touched the grass and caught his breath. It was real! He went to the chairs and attempted to move them. They were rooted there, like they'd grown right from the ground. Sam swallowed and looked around. He walked cautiously through the house. The boards and beams creaked and groaned. He peered cautiously into the bedroom. If not for the fact the bed had been used, he would have doubted the elf king stayed here at all. How often, he wondered, _did_ he? A chill raced up and down his spine.

 _Something was watching him…_

He gasped and spun and cried out in alarm, stepping quickly back with eyes wide. Standing there was the farmer! But he didn't look like a farmer anymore… "Oh my god," Sam breathed, holding the sides of his head. "Oh my god, it's true." It began to move towards him. He backed away, arms dropping to his sides and balling into fists in case he had to fight. "Where-where is my brother?!" he demanded. It didn't answer, but little voices began to speak from the beams and the earthy pillars.

 _"_ _The human child plays and sings,_

 _And dances in the fairy rings._

 _In his heart there's no more pain,_

 _A place of safety has been his gain._

 _In his breast there's no more fear,_

 _Whilst the elf king lingers near,"_ they sang gently, little more than windy whispers.

 _"_ _But you, mortal boy, who dares intrude,_

 _You now have sullied our playful mood._

 _You came here where you never should,_

 _So win no favor where your brother could._

 _The elf king's bitter and unimpressed,_

 _And for this slight you will not be blessed."_

"Shut up and give me back my brother!" Sam snapped at them, not in the mood for fairy games or rhymes. He gasped as suddenly the elf king was there, hand around his throat and pinning him against a wall, staring into his eyes. Its eyes were unreadable, deep and eternal and aged… He couldn't read his eyes… Wait. He couldn't breathe! He gasped, quickly seizing the wrist of the creature, but he couldn't pry it loose. It moved near to him…

 _"_ _Leave,"_ it whispered. It didn't say that this was his only chance, but Sam sensed it was...

Stardew

Suddenly Sam jolted and came awake. He looked around in fear. He… he was back outside? "Sam!" he heard his mother scream. He looked quickly over. Jodi raced to him, engulfing him in a fierce hug. "Don't you dare ever do that again!" she angrily said.

Kent arrived right behind her, looking immensely relieved. "Mom, dad, he's in there! He's in the house! At least I think?"

Kent ran right into it without hesitation. Jodi gasped, looking after him. "Kent, wait, we don't know what we're dealing with! Kent!" she shouted, racing in pursuit of her husband.

Sam went to follow, but just then… "Sam!" he heard a desperate voice cry. He turned quickly, and his expression softened. Penny. She seized his arm, holding it fast.

"It's in there, Penny. I have to go after my parents!" he said.

"How do you know it's there?" she demanded. He quickly summarized what he'd experienced inside, but rather than bring her relief like he'd hoped it would, her fear only grew. "Don't go in there! Don't go after it!" she pled, holding him tight. "It told you to leave! It doesn't want you inside that house."

"My parents are in there! My brother too probably!" Sam insisted.

"Your brother isn't in there, Sam. Vince isn't in there," she said, shaking her head. "Don't go inside. If you do you'll never come out!"

"But-but mom and dad…" he began, sounding a bit unsure.

"They'll be…" she began.

Just then Jodi screamed. Sam gasped, spinning. "Mom!" he shouted, trying to bolt.

"Sam what are you talking about?!" Penny exclaimed, holding him fast.

"That was my mom's scream! She needs help. Let me go, Penny! Now!" Sam shot, breaking free.

"Sam there _was_ no scream," Penny cried after him, eyes wide and skin pale. Sam froze in place. After a moment he turned to her in unease and uncertainty. "There was no scream, Sam," Penny said, shaking her head frantically. "And even if there was, don't you think your dad would protect her?! Where are the shots he would have fired?" Sam was utterly still, visibly scared now. "It's an illusion. It's his trickery."

"Then-then how can I know _you're_ not the illusion?" he asked, voice coming out far quieter than he'd planned for it to.

"Because the illusion wouldn't have held you back… The illusion would be telling you to go find your parents…" she answered. Sam stayed put, torn. Just then the door opened. He caught his breath, turning quickly. Kent and Jodi were coming out.

"Mom, what happened?" he asked.

"What?" Jodi said.

"You-you screamed. Didn't you?" he asked.

Jodi was quiet, looking concerned and worried. "Honey, no. I didn't scream." Sam went white, backing away from the house like it was a plague.

"Was Vincent there?" Penny asked nervously.

"No," Kent replied, eyes dark and murderous as he glared at the ground. "He wasn't there."

Sam was still. Suddenly he made a break for the forest. "Sam!" Jodi shouted.

"Sam, no!" Penny cried out, racing after him.

"Penny, don't!" Jodi screamed, making to go after her son and the girl.

Kent caught her arm, holding her back and shaking his head. "Let them go. They can explore west while we explore to the south," he said.

"Do you even _know_ what we're up against?!" Jodi screamed at him, jerking her arm away. "If he disappears into that garden we'll never see him again, Kent! Never! This isn't some mortal, some-some Gotoran soldier you can track down! This is one of the Fair Folk, dammit! This is the _King_ of the Fair Folk! And if he finds our oldest son, we may lose _him_ too." Kent was still, blinking in surprise at the outburst then looking uneasy. She shook her head at him and turned, running deeper into the garden, the _forest_ , after Sam and Penny. Kent was still, looking torn and unsure. _Did_ he know what they were up against…? He ran after them. "Jodi, Sam, Penny!" he shouted, running deeper into the garden. The garden of flowers and edibles and fruit trees and forest trees and wheat and so much more, spread so far. "Jodi, Sam, Vince, Penny!" he shouted out, searching for them. He couldn't see them. He couldn't see them! "Sam, Vince, Jodi!" he yelled frantically. "Where are you?! Sam, Vince, Jodi, please! Answer me, please! Please! Please!"

Terror began to seize his heart and seemed to squeeze all the air out of his lungs. He felt like he was about to have a panic attack, dammit! He tried to remember Harvey's tips, but he couldn't focus. He stopped in place, beginning to gasp frantically for breath. He couldn't breathe, he realized in fear. He couldn't breathe! "Jodi! Sam! Vince!" he cried out. Barely cried out. He called for them in bursts of air before collapsing to his knees and gripping the grass tightly, struggling to take in air and think clearly again. Where were they? Where were they?! He didn't know at what point he'd begun to sob, but he was suddenly aware of it now. And aware he was rocking back and forth, holding his head in his hands with eyes screwed tightly shut and teeth gritting together. He willed himself to get a grip, but he couldn't. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, he couldn't-couldn't find his family… Dammit, dammit, dammit, where were they? Where _were_ they?!

He heard a sound in the forest and fired on instinct right towards it, but something forced up his hand, so the bullet hit the trees. He turned sharp and his eyes widened in fear. The elf king was there, standing at his side! His eyes fixed on the creature, who looked down at him and tilted its head. A feeling of peace washed through the soldier. He felt the panic subsiding. He felt his heart slowing, his lungs working again, his brain becoming less and less cluttered. He was utterly still as he gazed up at it. It met his eyes calmly… Reassuringly… Kent didn't understand… He felt the panic driven away by a wave of calm washing over him. The elf turned, looking towards the forest. Kent, shivering, followed its gaze. From the forest stepped a little fawn, new and too late born to survive… But it would… He sensed it would… Look at who's garden it resided in… Following it came a doe that nuzzled along a second, older fawn. He didn't know why his brain made the connection to his wife and children—well he kind of did—but it didn't matter. He broke down, arms wrapping around himself as he wept. The creatures stared at him silently for a long time before finally bounding away… Kent looked shakily up once more at where the elf had been… It was no longer there…

He felt himself coming back to his senses. He stayed kneeling for a few minutes more before rising and starting forward again at a walk, calmer and more collected. He put all his focus into finding either his children, his wife, or the thing that had taken them… Now that he was thinking straight, he could.

Stardew

There it was. Seated on a throne of wood in a small clearing. A staff in its hand, a crown on its head, it lounged there. Watching. Waiting. He could only gape, at first, pointing his gun at it in fear with eyes wide, lips parted in disbelief. The elf regarded the gun coolly. "Be very certain it is me you will shoot, should you pull that trigger," it warned darkly.

"What? What do you mean? Of course it's you!" Kent replied. "Now give me back my son!"

"Be _very_ certain it is me you shoot," it repeated, tone darker and more threatening. Kent looked conflicted, unsure what it meant by that. "What if the thing you perceive to be me, is something much, much more precious to you?"

Kent paled, immediately catching on. His sons or his wife. "I-I would hear them call me!" he said.

"Believe what you will, mortal, but be very sure it is me you shoot, if you pull that trigger," it said again.

"You wouldn't do that! You care about Vince!" Kent immediately protested.

"I have no such fondness for Sam or for Jodi," it replied. It left out Penny, so Kent assumed the creature had a measure of fondness for her as well. "If you are going to shoot me, mortal, then shoot me."

 _A voice somewhere whispering. Echoing in the back of the soldier's mind behind the voice of the elf king._

 _"_ _Dad? D-dad, stop it, please… Dad, stop! You're scaring me! It's me! It's me not him…! Plea-please… Stop pointing the gun at me! Stop it! Stop!"_

"Shoot me," it repeated again, the fae. He didn't even know what was real or illusion anymore, dammit! But whether Sam was the illusion or not, he didn't care. His child's life wasn't a gamble he would ever take! _Ever_! He let out a gasp, dropping the weapon numbly onto the ground and staring at the creature, pale. It approached, dangerous and menacing. He started to regret dropping the gun, clenching his fists tight but holding his ground. It ran at him full speed. He swallowed, closing his eyes. He couldn't risk that it was his son…

He felt the thing attack him and cried out in alarm, automatically grabbing its arms before registering it wasn't an attack. It was a hug. He gasped, opening his eyes and looking down. In his arms was Sam, shivering and fighting back tears as he clung to his father. Kent let out a shaking gasp and wrapped his arms around his eldest tightly, holding him close and swaying him from side to side, feeling the increasingly common threat of tears in his eyes. He sniffed and pushed Sam back a little way, gently brushing hair away from his face. "Where's your mom?" he asked his son in his generally gruff tone. The break in his voice wasn't helping it stay sounding tough, though.

"She thought she saw Vince," Sam replied, looking down. "She followed him to the river. Penny went with her in case it was a trap and I… I slipped away to find _you_ …" He looked at the gun on the ground and shuddered, closing his eyes and looking away from it, swallowing. The image of his father pointing that gun at him, staring at him in wide-eyed fear mixed with rage… It was a picture that was going to stay burned there forever now… His father had almost shot him…

Kent was quiet, glaring at the gun almost loathingly. Finally he went to it, picking it up and examining it. His mouth twitched, and with a furious cry he threw it off into the woods somewhere far away. Let the faery creature do with it as he would. He turned back to his son. "If there was the slightest chance it was you or your brother or your mother, I wasn't going to fire… But I almost did and that terrifies me…"

Sam was quiet, looking down. "It's what you were trained for," he finally said.

Kent shuddered. "Never, ever say those words again," he hollowly warned. The reality of it was too painful to face up to. _It's what you were trained for…_ What? Killing boys, some younger than his eldest son? Killing children or anything that moved that seemed like it could be a threat whether it was or wasn't? Shoot first, question later. Yeah… Some training… How did you question a corpse…?

"I can't find him, dad," Sam said, voice breaking slightly. "I can't find Vince."

Kent was quiet, heart painfully clenching. "I know…" he finally replied in a whisper. And he didn't know if they ever would… Dammit, how had things gotten this bad…?

"What if we can't find mom either? Or… or Penny…?" Sam said. Hell, what if _they_ couldn't find their way out?

Kent was quiet. "I won't lose you too," he finally answered. "No more running off, Sam. _Stay_ by me." Sam nodded in understanding. "This forest can't be endless… It _can't_ be…" Vincent had _not_ just disappeared off the face of the earth… He was here… He _had_ to be…

As evening approached, Kent and Sam made it out of the garden exhausted. There was no sign of Vince… They hadn't seen Penny or Jodi either, but when they got out and looked up, they saw the two there with the rest of the townsfolk, who apparently had followed them here and had begun to scour the garden too… To no avail… Discourage, depressed, and broken, they left the glade in silence to return to their homes to sleep. Kent and Jodi sat up that whole night, waiting and longing to see their youngest child come up the road, clinging to one another and crying together. They didn't need to speak, they just needed each other's comfort and strength… They were so scared… What if they would never see their little boy again…?

Stardew

Meanwhile, the wizard had a whole other angle to work out. The witch and her plans for Kent and for the whole valley. He approached the travelling merchant's cart and paused there, tapping at it. The travelling merchant soon came. "Closed for the night. Come back tomorrow," she sleepily said.

"I need to know what you know of Harvey," the wizard said simply. The merchant was silent, warily summing him up with extreme caution. "Please... Something it coming you can't understand..." She stayed quiet, warily staring. "Then tell me this at least. How do you know him? What is he to you?"

She was quiet. She shifted, looking around a bit nervously, then turned to the wizard once more. "He... Harvey is my brother," she said in a whisper, like confessing as much was a sin. Rasmodius started, visibly taken aback. This? _This_ was unexpected.


	9. Second Winter

**Winter**

Sam sat on the edge of his bed shirtless. Penny knelt behind him, massaging his back and neck gently and just being there. She'd come to check on his family every day. Mostly on him. He'd been kind to her in high school. No one else had been. She'd just been… invisible. To everyone except him and Maru… And a bully or two, but she tried not to think about that. It was high time she repaid that kindness. She stayed quiet. She never spoke to him when he was in these funks, except for when he initiated.

"I keep seeing him in my dreams," Sam finally said. Penny paused and closed her eyes tightly, swallowing over a painful lump in her throat. "I miss him… So much…"

She opened her eyes, staring at his back quietly, then leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him. "I know," she said softly. "I miss him too…" So did Jas. Jas was really, really broken up about it. Or had been. But she'd seemed happier, as of late, which made Penny suspect that the elf king had begun to let the children play together again. Probably after obtaining Jas's vow of silence. She'd tried to press once, but Jas had just gotten very quiet and solemn and just left. No amount of prodding from anyone could get the girl to speak. Kent had reacted, err, badly. Very, very badly… It came to full on blows between him and Shane. Marnie had fled with Jas in fear, shouting for help and hiding with the child in Emily and Haley's house. It had taken Elliott, Harvey, Alex, Sam, and Sebastian all to pry the two men apart and keep them apart… The war had started there...

Elliott had made it very clear he had sympathy for the elf king, argument broke out, sides were taken, and suddenly a miniature civil war broke out among the townsfolk. The sides? Those who were perceived to be sympathetic to the elf king, and those who weren't. The sympathetic consisted of her, Elliott, Willie, Rasmodius, Linus, Evelyn, Harvey, Maru, Caroline, Leah, Sebastian, Abigail, Marlon, Gunther, Emily, and Marnie. The unsympathetic consisted of Sam, Alex, Haley, Demetrius, Robin, Kent, Jodi, Lewis, the farm hand, Mr. Mullner, Pierre, Gil, Clint, Gus, and Pam. Then there was Shane. Shane was a bit of a wild card. He had _no_ sympathy for the thing whatsoever so was _technically_ on the side of the unsympathetic? However, Jas was on the side of the sympathetic and so in his efforts to protect her, Shane tended to often fall on that side as well but not really. If Jas wasn't around he was about as vehement in his distaste for the elf king as Kent was, and he and Kent were friends. When Jas _was_ around, him and Kent _weren't_ friends. Needless to say, there was a lot of strife and distrust these days. Every time Penny set foot in Sam's house, she was stepping into hostile territory and knew it. She was spared retribution because of her good nature and because of her friendship with Sam that had somehow thus far weathered all of this. He knew she was sympathetic towards the elf, but he knew also how deeply she cared about his family and about Vince… And about him…

Sam sniffed, looking up and covering her hand with his, holding it. "I should have been able to protect him. That's what big brother's do," he said.

"Stop," Penny said softly. If _he_ felt like this, how much worse did Jodi and Kent as parents feel? Probably the same only even more intense.

"How can I stop?" Sam asked, massaging the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. "He's gone, and there's not a damn thing anyone's been able to do about it…"

Penny was quiet, looking down. "I wish I had the answers, Sam," she finally replied. "I'm here for you. And for your family. Whenever you need me, just-just call, okay? I'll be here."

Sam nodded, turning his head and nuzzling Penny's forehead with his own gently. "I love you, Pen," he said.

She smiled softly. "I love you too," she replied, nuzzling back. She wondered, though, if he meant platonically or as more. He'd never said anything that implied one over the other. It drove her a bit crazy to not know, because… because she kind of wouldn't mind it being more… She suddenly noticed how close he was getting to her lips, though he was hesitating a little. Her heart skipped a beat and she swallowed, moving nearer too. Just then the doorknob turned and the two quickly pulled apart, heads whipping over to it and eyes wide. It opened, and Jodi came in. She paused on seeing her son shirtless and Penny kneeling behind him on the bed. Sam looked like a kid who'd just been caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

Jodi raised an eyebrow at them. "Am I missing something here?" she asked a bit coldly. Penny awkwardly cleared her throat, glancing away and folding her hands in her lap.

"Uh… N-No! No, it's-it's not… She just was giving me a massage! Because my back hurt and not for any other reason at all," Sam quickly said. Ugh, what was he even doing defending himself like this? He was a grown man and could make his own decisions for goodness sakes!

"Honey, you know you don't have to hide the truth from me, right?" Jodi said.

"Mom, I'm serious. Nothing was happening," Sam said seriously. He would have liked it to have been, though, so thanks for nothing mom, he inwardly added. So much for _that_ moment.

"Alright, but if you want to start… trying new things, you should talk to your father about…" Jodi began.

"Mom!" Sam exclaimed in dismay. "Finish that sentence and I'm moving out! What am I, ten? I've known how that whole deal works since I was in my preteens! It's called sex ed. Get _with_ it already," he continued, standing up and throwing on his shirt in obvious annoyance.

"Oh sweetie, you don't need to stop on account of me," Jodi said, smirking in increasing amusement. Sam was bright red by now and swearing to himself that the minute he had the money for it, and a steady job, he was totally moving out and getting himself into one of those units in the old Joja Mart. Or an apartment in the city. Penny was covering her mouth to stifle giggles. Sam inwardly groaned. Just his luck, he wryly figured.

Stardew

As the weeks went by, tension only rose higher and higher to the point it felt like the whole town was isolating itself from one another. It was stifling, and it was painful, and it was hard. It had gotten so bad at home, in fact, that Maru had moved into one of the housing units at the old Joja Mart, where Sebastian and Abigail had gotten a place. They really needed to figure out a name for the complex. Lewis had set up a suggestion box a while back, but then all _this_ had happened, and things were… kind of too tense right now to really worry about it. Anyway, Maru was enjoying the freedom and enjoying being near her brother and his wife. She could come and go as she pleased, she didn't have to explain everything to her parents, and she got a whole lot less grief from her father about her relationship with Harvey, who Demetrius still didn't approve of or wholly trust for whatever reason. Kent's distrust of Harvey kind of had fed Demetrius's distrust, so things had become awkward and rough.

Currently, Maru was making her way to the clinic to meet up with Harvey so that they could go out for some drinks in the city. She entered the clinic and went up the stairs. She slowed down a bit, hearing Harvey speaking with someone in hushed tones. She frowned curiously and opened the door. She had an open invitation to enter as she pleased if the door was unlocked. Harvey nearly leapt out of his seat as he spun, startled. "Maru!" he exclaimed in surprise. He pulled off his headphones. "You scared me," he said, covering his chest.

"Sorry," she said, immediately embarrassed. "It's just the door was unlocked, and you said…"

"Right! Right, that's right. I know," he said. "Just… I wasn't expecting you early. It isn't a big deal. I'm glad you're here."

She smiled, relaxing a bit and feeling a little more at ease. He blinked at her and couldn't help but smile affectionately back. "Who are you talking to?" she asked.

He grimaced and turned to the headphones, looking at them. "A… friend. Another pilot I contacted a while back who got to talking with me."

"Can I try it?" she asked. "Will he mind if I say hi?" Harvey was still for a moment. She frowned a bit, curious. "Harvey?" she asked.

He turned back to the radio and picked it up, frowning and listening in. "Hi. Yeah, it's me D... Oh, my girlfriend is here. She just startled me when she came in… No, no, everything's fine. She'd like to try the radio. Mind indulging her for a bit? …No, trust me, it's not a problem… Okay, yeah, great." He took off the headphones and smiled at her, gesturing for her to come. She approached and sat on his lap, which pleasantly surprised him. He smirked wickedly at her and began to neck her.

Maru let out a little gasp of surprise before grinning, feeling her heart flutter a bit. Playfully she slapped at him before melting into the attention. "Mmm… where has _this_ game been?" she asked in a murmur. He just hummed against her skin, continuing. She giggled and put on the headphones before uncovering the microphone. "Hello?" she said.

 _"_ _So you're the one H keeps talking about. The one he gets careless around. You must be something special to distract him so easy and catch him off guard."_

"Well, I don't think I'm anything particularly special but thank you," she replied, blushing a bit at the remark.

 _"He's a jumpy little thing, so he's usually pretty in tuned to what's going on. Just so he can avoid getting spooked,"_ the man on the other end said.

"You make him sound like a rabbit," Maru teased. Harvey frowned a bit at that and punished her by ceasing to neck her with a huff. "Oh come on, it's just a little tease," she said to him, smirking.

 _"More like a… Uh, yeah. Yeah, let's go with rabbit,"_ the voice replied.

"How far in the air are you?" Maru asked. "Passengers or cargo?"

 _"Cargo,"_ he answered, not replying to the height question.

"Oh great. Height?" Maru pushed.

 _"Thirty thousand feet, thereabouts,"_ the man answered.

"Well, I should probably let you be then. Have a safe flight, mister. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to steal my man away for a while. We have plans and no offence, but you're interfering with them. Bye." She hung up without waiting for a reply.

Harvey winced then smirked in amusement. "That was direct," he said.

"Yes. Yes it was. But he's cut into enough of my time with you," she replied, turning around in his lap, taking his collar, pulling him close, and kissing his lips. He placed a hand behind her head, holding her near. She let a contented sound escape into his mouth. After a moment, she drew back looking a bit wistful. "I'm starting to wonder, you know," she said.

"About what?" he asked, amused by her.

"About… Well just… Never mind, it's dumb," she said.

"Maru, if it's important to you it's important to me," he replied.

"Easier said than proven," she replied, glancing away from him a bit shyly. "I don't know. Just… We've been dating over a year now. I mean I guess maybe that's not all that long of a time, just you know. Media and unrealistic expectations and pressure and all that."

He hummed. She knew he understood, then. After a moment he kissed her again. "Soon enough. I promise," he said, nuzzling her lightly.

She smiled a little ruefully, but nodded nonetheless. She kissed him once more then slid off his lap, standing up. "Come on. Let's go get those drinks you promised. It'll be really nice to get away from all the tension in this place." He nodded, rising to join her.

Stardew

Harvey drove in silence, glancing now and again at the passing landscape. Maru gazed out the window at it. "It's beautiful here," she said after a while.

"I agree," he replied. "The Ferngill Republic _is_ beautiful."

"Stardew Valley was beautiful too," she remarked.

"Was?" he asked.

"It's kind of hard to enjoy the beauty of a place when things like, well, this, are happening. This thing with Vincent and the whole, you know… elf king fiasco," Maru said. Harvey was quiet. "Do you think he wanted this all along?" she asked after a moment.

Harvey was quiet. "No," he finally answered. "Why would he want this? All he wanted was a haven. A place of peace and nature where he could be left alone to just be… I don't know what happened, to make it all go so wrong… I know it wasn't his plan, though. Or his desire. If it was, why would he have bothered helping the valley or its people at all? He didn't have to. Generally his sort are indifferent to our sort, but he helped us anyway. For our sakes or for his own is hard to say."

"First the war between the Gotoro Empire and the Ferngill Republic, now a mini war in Stardew Valley of all places," Maru said with a sigh. She shook her head ruefully, drawing a hand through her hair. "I don't know anymore." Harvey was quiet. The lights of the city were coming into view. "Hey, how about you pick a topic that's less depressing than any of mine?" she teased, watching the city come into view.

"Hmm… How about your dress?" he replied. "It's beautiful, Maru. You're not generally the sort to dress up, I know. I'm flattered you went through the effort for me."

"Well I can't go into the city looking like a country bumpkin, can I?" she joked. "I mean I could, but I'd probably get some pretty weird looks. Stereotypes and first impressions and all that."

He chuckled. "One you bought online or something you commissioned from Emily?" he asked.

"Emily, of course. Supporting local businesses, you know," she said. "Stardew Valley doesn't have a lot of them, but it has enough. Pierre's store, Emily's fashion, Willie's fish, Gus' saloon… The sooner Emily can be self-sufficient with designing, the sooner she can quit at the saloon. The sooner she can quit at the saloon, the sooner someone without a job, or who lost it when Joja shut down, can get a position to support themselves."

"A very practical woman," Harvey said, nudging her lightly and sparing her a glance before turning back to the road.

Stardew

The two sat together at a secluded table in a dimly lit restaurant, talking and laughing and sharing a cheese platter while sipping at strawberry wine, which Harvey had insisted she try. She was happy to say she didn't regret trying it at all. In fact, she really, really liked it. A glass clinked somewhere, and they looked over. A young man was calling for attention. When he had it, he declared out loud the great news. He'd proposed to the woman he was with. She'd said yes. The restaurant clapped. Maru smiled ruefully at the scene, clapping dutifully. Harvey didn't, watching her carefully and reading her expression and the wistful look in her eyes. He winced and sighed, glancing ruefully at his glass and twirling it a little. He put on his smile again when she turned back to him, but she could see something had changed in it. She frowned a bit worriedly but didn't press, giving him a sweet smile and going back to her wine and cheese.

They'd stayed out late. The drive back was quiet, her almost falling asleep in the passenger seat. She hadn't had too much wine, necessarily, but certainly enough to make her drowsy. He glanced at her quietly before turning to the road again, shifting slightly. "Maru?" he finally said.

"Hmm?" she tiredly replied.

"I… there _is_ a reason I haven't… asked you yet. To marry me," he finally said.

She looked up curiously, frowning a bit in concern. That was more direct than she was used to. Usually he avoided saying the 'M' word at all costs. "Harvey, what is it?" she asked in concern, looking a bit worried. There were a thousand different possible scenarios going through her head. Among the most prominent, one where he'd been married before but she'd died. She doubted that, she'd never seen a picture of another woman in his place and he'd never mentioned one before, but still. Grief hit different people different ways.

"I just… I don't want a marriage built on secrets…" he finally, and vaguely, said.

She sat up a bit straighter. "Secrets? Harvey, what are you talking about? I haven't hidden anything from you."

"Not you, love… Me…" he replied.

She was quiet. "So tell me them, then," she finally said. He had shared a large one with her already, after all. The first thing he'd told her, after the Kent incident, was that he was Gotoran. She hadn't cared then, so why would she care what else he might be hiding regarding that place? At least she assumed that was probably what his secrets were centered around. Gotoro. Why was he afraid? Didn't… didn't he trust her…?

He was quiet, looking a bit torn. "I can't," he finally replied. "I'm not… ready to." She looked concerned and seemed like she was about to press, but just then a broadcast cut out the music station they were listening to. Both their attention went to the radio in confusion. That was odd.

 _"_ _Attention all listeners, this is an emergency broadcast. We've received word the Gotoro Empire is planning an airstrike within the next few hours. Please be advised to lock your doors, shut off your lights, and retreat into any shelters or safe places you may have in case of bombing,"_ the newscaster said. Maru gasped, covering her mouth. Harvey was pale, staring at the radio. He quickly pulled over, attention now on this. He wouldn't have been able to focus on the road if his life depended on it. _"Intelligence has confirmed that Zuzu City will be among the planned targets. We ask all citizens to be prepared for the worst. Residents in the surrounding areas and towns should also lock up and hunker down. May Yoba be with us."_ The radio began to sound an emergency siren. Harvey clicked it off, sitting back and looking pale and shaken.

"Harvey?" Maru fearfully said, looking at him. "Are we in the blast radius do you think?" If a bomb is dropped there?"

"I was going to ask you the same," he replied.

"I'd have to know what kind of bombs they're using," Maru admitted. Which made her asking Harvey to take a guess kind of pointless. How could _he_ know what bombs they were using, after all? "Why are they doing this?" she asked after a moment, voice wavering slightly.

Harvey rubbed his face. "Because Ferngill is bombing the _hell_ out of them?" he replied, resting his head on the steering wheel and shaking it. He sat up again and pulled out a cellphone, quickly dialling a number looking stressed. After a moment, he sat up. "Mom?" he said. Maru caught her breath, paling. Immediately Harvey began to speak in the Gotoran language like it was second nature. She gaped at him in shock and concern. He sounded worried and frantic. "No, no, mom," he said, switching to Ferngill's local language and sounding like he was trying to soothe someone. "Just-just lock your doors, okay? And-and get into the basement with dad… I'm fine, mom," he said. He listened then said something in Gotoran again that she recognized as 'I love you'. He'd used the term on her more than once. He hung up and leaned back, pushing the heels of his palms against his forehead.

Maru was quiet, looking worried. "That another secret?" she asked softly. He stayed quiet. "You have family still in the Gotoro Empire… How many…?" she asked.

He let out a shaking breath, dropping his hands and shrugging. "My parents, my brother depending on his work schedule. Lately it's been predominantly in Gotoro. A sister too, but… but she's not in the Empire right now. She's in Ferngill." In the Valley, he inwardly added, but that would be far too easy for her to piece together.

Maru was quiet. "They'll be okay?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered, shaking his head. He started the car and began driving again, deeply upset. Maru didn't speak. "When you get home, call everyone you know and tell them to lock the doors and turn out the lights, though what locking the doors might do I'm not clear on."

"So… so Ferngill's bombing them too, then…?" Maru asked.

"Yes," Harvey replied. "Yes…"

Maru was quiet. "How did you know that?" she finally questioned. He stayed quiet.

Stardew

Kent watched grimly out the window as all the lights in Stardew Valley began to go dim. The news had spread fast. Maru and Harvey had brought it back and taken to warning everyone they could. Those who'd heard the broadcast on the radio were already hunkered down. Grief reflected in the man's eyes. Jodi held tightly to him, teeth clenched as she wept. "Kent, Vincent…" she said, voice breaking. "I want out baby back."

He swallowed, closing his eyes painfully and clinging to her, burying his face in her hair. He understood her fear… Vincent would be alone through this… "We need to get to the basement," he murmured to her. "Just in case. Get Sam. I'll grab some things and join you in a minute." She shuddered at the words but nodded in agreement, then went to get Sam. Quickly the two retreated into the bunker that Kent had ended up building when he first got back. Kent grabbed up some supplies just in case. He looked out the window one last time and stiffened, paling. He could see into the clinic. Harvey was there, talking on a radio with a grim and set expression on his face. The words he was mouthing… They weren't the local language… The veteran bristled at the sight, eyes widening in outrage and shock. Harvey… What the hell was that man up to…? He scowled darkly and retreated away from the window so as not to be spotted. He went quickly to join his wife and son.

Stardew

The Elf King stood on the summit, staring up at the sky. He could hear the sound of airplanes flying. He watched them in silence, expression dark and unimpressed. He closed his eyes, inhaling a deep breath and focusing all his power, all his attention, into something powerful... He let out the breath and stared up at the sky. The planes had veered away from Zuzu City as if suddenly they were seeing it in a completely different location... The Elf King's illusion... They dropped the bombs they carried on where they perceived their target to be. He saw the explosion and watched on darkly… Another plane approached from the direction of the ocean. He turned, watching it. He lifted a hand ever so slightly, and as if on cue a bomb was dropped and struck the water off the coast. The wave it produced stretched upwards into the sky, barrelling down on the shoreline along with the shockwave. The elf king shouted out a word in the elfin tongue, and the water fell short, collapsing into the sea…

The shockwave still struck, the buildings shaken as if by an earthquake as the plane soared overhead low. The king watched warily, bitterly. He heard the alarmed and fearful screams. He looked towards the secret woods, watching it protectively. It stayed peaceful and serene. The work of his subjects. He turned again to the village, checking on it once more, then looked to the ocean a final time. No further threat was detected, and the elf turned, moving down the summit towards his glade once more, cape billowing behind him.

Stardew

 _"It was l_ _ike they thought Zuzu City was somewhere else."_

 _"The bombs fell on_ _the outskirts and totally missed us except for the shockwave!"_

 _"_ _It was like a miracle!"_

Those were some of the statements played on the news the next day. And in the village itself?

 _"_ _I saw that wave barrelling down from my fishing shack. I thought we were all in for one hell of a disaster."_ Willie.

 _"_ _It's true. I saw it from my cabin too! I was prepared to draw my last breath for how large it was!"_ Elliott.

 _"_ _Too bad it didn't stop the shockwave, but at least the damage is a lot less devastating than it could have been."_ Lewis.

" _How could it have just… just stopped like that?"_ Penny.

Harvey listened quietly as the townsfolk gossiped in the town square about what had happened the other day, all of them together in that spot. The first thing the doctor had done, when the shockwave passed, was call his family to try and get a report on their status. The travelling merchant approached him, dropping a hand on his arm. He looked over at her. "Thank you," she said in Gotoran. "For letting me stay with you."

"I would never turn you away, little sister," he murmured to her softly in the same language, squeezing her hand. She smiled worriedly at him, squeezing his own back. Her smile fell. "Were you able to contact our brother? And our parents?" she asked.

"They're fine," he assured. She nodded, visibly relieved, then left to return to her cart. He watched after her in concern before looking once more towards the citizens of the valley worriedly. A few had shown up to be treated for minor injuries, but nothing overly serious thank goodness. They'd been lucky… Probably due to the mystical presence that lingered here…

"You!" a furious voice shouted suddenly. Harvey turned quickly, eyes wide. Kent, he saw immediately. He tensed, a prickle running down his spine. Oh no… The travelling merchant, still not out of hearing range, stopped and turned quickly in concern. Harvey glanced at her and shook his head, warning her to keep going. She didn't, instead watching in concern and clasping her hands together nervously. Harvey turned back to Kent. He gritted his teeth and grunted as he was slammed up against the wall of the clinic. "You did this!" Kent shouted. All eyes went to them immediately, a hush falling over everyone there.

Harvey was quiet and still. "Let go of me, Kent," he warned after a moment.

"You Gotoran traitor!" Kent shouted. "I saw you, last night! I saw you on the radio with them!" Harvey tensed, but said nothing. He felt eyes on him. "What's your excuse, huh?!" Kent roared.

"If I was on the radio with them last night, wouldn't it be reasonable to come to the conclusion I directed them _away_ from the city, given what happened?" Harvey asked. "But I wasn't on the radio with them, and I didn't direct them away from Zuzu City. I was in contact with my brother. I was worried about where he was. I thought he might be there. I wanted to make sure he was alright."

Kent was quiet, glaring. "You're a goddamn spy!" he finally shouted, slamming Harvey against the wall again. "You and your goddamn radio and your goddamn codename and your goddamn Gotoran heritage!"

A gasp went through the villagers and Harvey visibly winced. Dammit… Kent froze, seeming to realize what he'd just said, and turned to look at the faces of the shocked people. "H-Harvey, is-is that true? That you're… you're Gotoran?" Lewis tentatively asked.

"My being Gotoran doesn't mean I'm a spy, goddammit!" Harvey shouted, loosing his cool as his temper flared one of the rare times. "Yes, I was born in the Gotoro Empire to a Gotoran father and a part-Gotoran mother! I was one of three children they had together, two boys and a girl! I am _not_ ashamed of what I am, and I will not _be_ shamed for it! And I certainly won't stand by and be blamed for this damned bombing!" he yelled, roughly shoving Kent's hands off him with a scowl, looking ready to fight. Like a cornered animal. It was a state _none_ of them had ever seen him in before… It was unnerving… They hadn't even thought he had that courage _in_ him… Kent looked at him in disbelief. "My brother could have died in that firestorm! My parents could have died! Yes, that's was right there _with_ the Gotoro Empire, bombing the crap out of the city near my home village! The Empire is _not_ the only agitator in this conflict! For the love of Yoba, you're fighting on _their_ mother fu…" He bit off the word before he said it. "You're the ones fighting on _their_ land anyway… So don't you make me into the villain when Ferngill's no better than they are… I'm half tempted to argue Ferngill's even worse!" There was silence. Harvey huffed and turned on his heel, storming inside the clinic. He turned. "Unless someone's dying or going to die, don't bother me. Don't even think about it." With that he slammed the door shut behind him, locking it tightly.

The doctor scowled darkly and punched it with both hands, letting out an angry cry. He expected his sister would come to him soon. She could enter, but no one else. She knew of another way inside that wouldn't be conspicuous. In the meantime, he went straight to the wine rack and pulled out a bottle almost considering downing the whole thing before reminding himself over and over that getting drunk wasn't the way to deal with pain. It wasn't long before his sister was there. She didn't speak, just pulled her brother into a tight hug and held him close, tears threatening her eyes like they threatened his…

Stardew

To say it was awkward and strained was an understatement. In a little town like this where everyone knew everyone, or thought they did, secrets could be devastating, and conflict too. Now not only was there the business with the stolen child and the elf king, there was the business of Harvey and the Gotoran war suddenly hitting much, much closer to home than they were happy with. If Zuzu City was now a target, Stardew Valley suddenly wasn't so insulated anymore… That thought was terrifying…

The change in the demeanor towards Harvey was immediate. Suddenly everyone was handling him with kid gloves. Not an eye that fell on him, now, lacked suspicion. Not one except for Maru, whose eyes reflected concern and grief for him that hurt more than the suspicion, and Elliott, who was more fascinated with him now than anything. For which he was so very grateful… Not that he'd ever let the writer know as much. Not that he really had to. Elliott tended to sense these things. The wizard and Linus also seemed to be sympathetic ears, both men used to being outcasts regarded with suspicion and uncertainty. Willie was indifferent it seemed, which again Harvey was glad for… But it was still so hard…

No one who came, anymore, engaged in small talk. They sat quietly, watching him warily like they thought he'd poison them. He hated it. He was almost tempted to turn those ones out, but they needed him, he knew. They couldn't… they couldn't help their mistrust… At least that was what he told himself. He was frankly surprised George still let him into his house to treat him, but George and Evelyn, after the initial shock wore off, seemed to be putting a foot forward to get things back on track with the doctor.

Demetrius had begun to try and deter Maru from seeing him so much. _'Until we can figure him out'_ was the man's claim. He didn't fault her father that. The man just wanted to protect her, and if there was in fact a chance he was an enemy spy, Maru would _be_ the one who needed to be protected, given the genius she had locked up in her pretty head. Maru had been enraged. Argument had broken out. It hadn't helped that for the first time in goodness knew how long, Sebastian had seemed to take his step-father's side. They'd both begun to try and keep her busy too busy to see the doctor on the sly, subtly herding her away from him. She'd caught on in not too long and had been furious with them both before storming off to find him…

It had hurt her horribly when _he'd_ seemed to side with her father and brother as _well_ …

It had _killed_ him inside to do so, but it needed to be said. She kept coming back, though. Always. She sat with him now, holding his hands in hers. "It's not fair," she said to him, voice breaking a bit.

He was quiet, squeezing her hands and thumbing them softly. "Don't make me innocent, Maru," he said quietly.

"But you are," she said.

"Every suspicion has a base in fact," he answered vaguely, looking into her eyes.

"Enough," she pled softly. "Stop talking like this."

He reached up, gently brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear and giving her a gentle smile that made her heart flutter. "You should go home," he said. "It's late." She was quiet, looking down. She'd rather stay, she inwardly replied. Even if only downstairs… She looked back at him. He leaned forward, softly kissing her. "Goodnight, Maru," he murmured. She let out a shaking breath and rose in frustration, taking her things and walking out without a word. He sat still, staring at where she'd been, then balled his hands and rested them on his forehead, tightly closing his eyes and shaking his head.

 _Come the morning, Jas had disappeared…_

Stardew

Marnie was a blubbering and inconsolable mess, and Shane… It was hard to tell with Shane. It always was. Suffice it to say it was dark and disturbing and not good. His fists clenched and unclenched, and there was low-key murder shining in his eyes that practically screamed whoever was responsible for this was going to die horribly and painfully the second he got his hands on them. It was obvious, who the blame fell on. The Elfin King… Harvey watched the townsfolk all carefully, but where almost everyone there seemed to be consenting that it had been the erl-king, Harvey's had serious doubt. It just… it didn't make sense… He was no Elliott or Penny, but he read. He'd _certainly_ read enough to know this didn't fit the MO of a faery abduction. To start, Jas had packed up her things in a little suitcase and left instead of disappearing without a trace.

Now that alone wasn't enough to clear the erl-king, as evidenced by the fact that even those who trusted and vouched for it most now showed the first seeds of doubt Harvey ever had known them to have; but on top of that the doctor had noticed a figure among the townsfolk, lingering in the back out of sight, obviously visible to only a choice few. He knew what it was, and its expression wasn't amused. It didn't look mischievous or smug or expressionless. It looked angry. Wholly and completely angry… It turned and left like a ghost. Harvey watched after it in silence before glancing towards Elliott. Elliott was watching too. Elliott glanced over at Harvey and subtly nodded. Harvey nodded back and moved to follow on the sly along with the author, subtly slipping out without being seen. They wanted answers. This time, if the erl-king allowed it, they would get them.

It let them catch him, before it even became a challenge. "Ask your question," it directed simply.

"Did she go to you?" Elliott asked.

"Given she left as she did, packing her things, she planned to; and it is little wonder why. She never arrived. Not to me," he answered. "Something else has taken her. And I know who."

"Who? Tell us so we can help you," Harvey said.

"I need not the help of warring mortals," it replied, turning on them sharply.

"Will you let us tell them at least that it wasn't you? Give us a name and we'll put them on the right track!" Harvey insisted.

"They can hate me no more than they do now," it answered. "The mortal thoughts surrounding me and my nature are not my concern."

"Is the child alright? The little boy?" Elliott asked, unexpectedly changing the topic.

The elf king was quiet. "You well know the answer, writer of stories. You know it is not my desire to wound an innocent child," it finally replied.

"You wound him, erl-king, by keeping him from those who love him most," Elliott replied.

"End your war, end the strife between that soldier and his wife, and then, only then, will you have the right to ask me to return him," the elf darkly warned. "Deal with your own matters. I will deal with mine. Rest assured, the girl will be found. And when she is, their suspicion will come true. Their belief it was me that took her. She will join her friend in my company until the day this chaos is ended."

"Then help us end it! Please!" Harvey begged. "What if… what if we can't do it alone…?"

The elf stared at them coldly. "Then you do not deserve to have your children back," it finally replied. With that it turned, taking on the form of a white stag, and bounded away too quickly for them to hope to catch, leaving the duo at the edge of the Cindersnap forest watching helplessly after it. They exchanged uncertain glances… They were afraid… Afraid of where all of this would lead…


	10. Year 3: Third Spring

.

3rd Year

 **Spring**

The elf had found Jas in record time, the child lured away by the witch. The witch had been certain not to be there when the elf came for the girl. She'd worried, at first, that he would return Jas to her family. He didn't, though, and so her plotting continued unhindered. Now to make the next move. Her plan had been to make the people her ex-husband loved, suffer. Her complication had been the elf king. Now the leader of the Fair Folk was neutralized. She'd been able to turn the villagers he had lived among against him, driving him into the forest and into isolation once again. His stealing away the children hadn't helped his case, but then he probably didn't much care. To him this wasn't a competition or a game. He did what he pleased _when_ he pleased. He likely considered her efforts petty.

With the elf king out of the way, the village was hers for the marring. The wartime strife was rife in the land, and she had used that to her advantage. She left an anonymous tip at a television station about a Gotoran spy lingering in the vicinity of Zuzu City and the surrounding area. The broadcast went out on every news and radio station, encouraging anyone who may have information as to who the spy was, to take action. It wasn't the last nail in Harvey's coffin, but it was damn close…

Wartime propaganda and mob mentality. She loved it. She watched now, practically purring at her handiwork, as a mob gathered outside Harvey's clinic led by Kent, of course, who'd been a good little unwitting pawn and whipped the villagers all up into a suspicious frenzy against the doctor, who stood in the doorway looking devastated and confused and lost as to what to do. Again, the village divided. Now not only over the elfin king, but also over the doctor and whether or not he was friend or foe. There was a totally different division between the villagers over _this_ problem, so now there were four different groups that all overlapped and no one knew who was on what side for sure anymore.

Maru stood protectively and fearfully in front of Harvey, reaching behind herself and holding his hands tightly, pushing him back inside quickly when those who'd turned on him, or sat on the fence, began to get loud and demand answers to so many questions. On top of all this, missing posters of Jas and Vincent decorated the town, and broadcasts had gone out on the news and radio asking viewers, and or listeners, to be on the watch for the children. No one had stopped searching for the little ones, but now on top of that they had to worry about air raids and nighttime bombings and staying alive through them all for goodness sakes! The witch couldn't have planned this better herself. Most of it wasn't even directly her doing! She'd nudged a few pieces and everything else had just collapsed into place.

Stardew

Maru locked the clinic door as soon as she had moved Harvey inside safely. Nervousness and fear filled her expression. She looked back and saw Harvey sitting on the waiting room seats, hands balled and expression grim and annoyed more than sad, like she'd thought it would be. Wait. There was the grief and betrayal. Those he forced away, though, anger and agitation replacing them quickly. She approached him. "Just tell them you aren't a spy," she said. "It's all you'll have to do. Harvey, they'll believe you." He shook his head and said nothing. "Baby please, if this keeps up you could end up dead! I don't… I can't lose you…" Still silence, she squatted in front of him, taking his hands. "Harvey, look at me." He glanced wearily at her. "They care about you. Despite all of this they care about you… All they need is for you to say you aren't a spy and they'll let it go. Just _say_ it. This isn't the time for you to try and make a statement! Not in the heat of an ongoing war when the populous is being whipped up into a frenzy over enemy spies!"

He looked away from her once more. "Go home, Maru," he said.

"Stop telling me that! I'm _not_ leaving you. Not when there's an angry mob right outside your goddamn door!" she shot.

"That's an extreme statement and you know it," Harvey said with a sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose. He took off his glasses, looking at her, and said, "They aren't out for my blood, love. They'd just scared and confused. I'm not afraid of them or what they'll do. I know these people too well and have been here too long to believe they want to hurt me." Kent notwithstanding. Shane in a bad mood, but Shane could get like that with anyone if he was in a foul enough temper, so Harvey doubted he was a target. In fact, he believed Shane was actually on _his_ side in this. Not even only part way, but totally and completely.

Another broadcast began. They looked towards the radio quietly. A voice declaring that the military was putting together a list of suspected Gotoran spies who would at one point or another end up in an interrogation room. The announcer didn't name names. He couldn't because all that information was classified and confidential, but he promised regular updates to soothe the minds of his listeners, and encouraged anyone with information or suspicions to contact the military authorities. Maru's hands tightened on Harvey's, eyes becoming fearful and concerned. Harvey sighed through the nose, bowing his head and shaking it. Kent was probably doing just that as they spoke. Which meant it was only a matter of time before _someone_ came looking for him. His eyes narrowed and he rose, marching towards his flat. Maru looked concerned and followed him upstairs.

"Maru, could you make some coffee? I have… personal matters to attend to… I'd like to be alone for a little bit," Harvey said to her. She paused, looking unsure. He didn't stop, though, shutting the door immediately behind him and locking it tight. She winced and bowed her head sadly before going downstairs to do as he'd asked. Maybe by the time it was done, he'd have dealt with whatever he wanted to do and be ready to talk.

Stardew

Harvey waited until he heard her footsteps fade away, then went straight to the radio and turned it on, visibly annoyed and agitated. He put on the headphones and began scanning the frequencies. "Mr. D, this is Dr. H. I'm going dark. Serious complications have arisen… Paranoia and wartime, _that's_ what… Yes, the veteran POW was a large part of it… Yes, you were right. He was a problem… No, I don't regret not dealing with him like you in all your 'infinite wisdom' suggested I do…! Look I don't have time to argue with you about this, okay? I need to go… You be careful too… Yeah. They'll be coming for me… Don't worry about me, okay? I can handle myself… Good. It's getting too dangerous for her to come into the valley anyway. Take care of each other… Been a while since you said _that_ to me… It won't be the last time you ever do, I promise. And I'll respond in kind, when I get out of this… I will too…! D, I will… Okay… Goodbye. Dr. H going dark." He hung up the radio immediately and quickly took it down, wrapping it up with all its parts and sticking it into a box.

The door was knocked on. He finished packing the radio away then rose to answer. Maru was there. He gave her a weak smile and took the coffee she offered gratefully. She smiled back and came in. She paused on noticing the radio was gone, and winced. "Why'd you take it down?" she asked.

"Because the last thing someone being accused of spying needs to be caught with, is a radio," Harvey replied. "I just contacted one of my pilot friends to tell him he probably won't hear from me in a while. Told him I was going dark."

Maru smiled in concern. "Way to kill suspicion you're a spy," she said with a small chuckle. He smiled ruefully back and sipped at the coffee. "When… if they come…"

"When," Harvey confirmed.

"Don't… say that… If they come, Kent will tell them you had one," she said.

"He will… I want you to take it, Maru. Keep it at your place for a while of hide it somewhere safe," Harvey replied, not answering her implied question.

"You're really gonna make me say it?" she said, leaning against the desk and sipping the hot chocolate she'd made for herself. Harvey sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. "You know that hiding it will just make you seem guiltier," she did indeed say.

"I know," he answered. "Maru, trust me. I'll handle it. I have my ways." He sipped his own coffee again. She looked less than reassured. He watched her then sighed, placing the mug down and going to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her near. "I'll be okay," he promised. "Everyone will be okay."

She gave a soft sigh, leaning against his chest and closing her eyes. "The more people say that, the less I believe them," she said.

"You know, if I _was_ a spy, you and Stardew Valley would be the _last_ things I acted against," he teased.

"Reassuring," she said, smirking. "Real reassuring." He chuckled and kissed her hair gently, pulling her close and resting his head on top of hers. He grimaced in unease, glancing guiltily and uncertainly to the side.

Some Days Later

Harvey walked along the road, heading towards Zuzu City. The steep hill beside him, the mountains in the background, not a soul in sight. The road was peaceful, the sun was warm. He relished in the peace. It would take a long, long time to get to the city like this, yes, but these days it seemed like the longer he was out of the village the better. His hands were shoved into his pockets as he made the trek, his head bowed and eyes closed. He opened them only when he heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. Safety first, after all. The long walk would do him good anyway. And it gave him time to think about a lot of things he was trying so desperately to work out. Among them the fact he was slowly but surely becoming a hypocrite, to his own disgust.

A car honked a horn behind him. He turned warily and paused, seeing the vehicle pulling over. Kent's, he recognized, and he grimaced but held his ground. The man got out and leaned on the roof. "Where you going, doc?" he asked. "Thought you'd stocked up already."

"I overestimated how much I'd had in stock so ended up falling short," Harvey answered calmly.

Kent grunted. "Strange mistake for someone who's been doing this as long as you," he said.

"No one's perfect," Harvey answered.

"Fair enough. Long way to the city," Kent said.

"The exercise will do me good," Harvey answered.

"Hop in. I'll give you a ride," Kent said.

"Now what makes you think I'd be stupid enough to do that?" Harvey questioned calmly. He'd given up playing dumb regarding Kent's antics.

Kent shrugged. "Jodi and Sam are in the car. Couldn't make a move against you even if I wanted to," he said. "They're both on your side and you know it. I'm the one who'll be in enemy territory _this_ round."

Harvey was quiet. He glanced towards the windows and saw Jodi inside. She looked up, spotting him, and smiled, giving a wave. Sam was in the back playing a handheld game. Harvey sighed. "I appreciate it, Kent, I do. But I really want to be alone right now." Kent was quiet, watching him. Harvey shifted and frowned a bit. "Fine," he relented, crossing the highway. He went to the back door and slid into the seat next to Sam.

"Hiya doc," Sam said, smiling at him.

"Hey," Harvey replied.

Sam watched him a moment, frowning in slight concern. Soon he saved his game, tucking it away. "You okay?" he asked as his father got back in and began to drive once more.

"Just… stressed," Harvey answered.

Sam winced. He totally got that. The stuff the guy was going through right now? He wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy. "Sorry. About my dad," he said, frowning at Kent. Kent huffed but didn't speak.

"Heading into the city to shop?" Harvey asked them, changing the topic.

"No. Hoping to maybe get an update on how the search for Vince and Jas is going," Jodi said, tone suddenly very quiet and sad.

Harvey inwardly grimaced. Right. The elf battlefront… Seemed he was in enemy territory no matter _what_ he did. He sighed. "Jodi, you'll see your son again. But _they_ won't find him. It would have been sure of that." Jodi was quiet, feeling the threat of tears in her eyes. Harvey winced. "He'll bring them back," he said sincerely. At least the creature had suggested as much, to him and Elliott.

"How can you know?" Jodi asked.

"Because he's good friends with it," Kent said with a scoff.

"No. I'm not. If I were, maybe I could have helped more than I've been able to so far," Harvey said. "Everyone wants Vince and Jas back. Regardless of their sympathy or lack thereof towards the elven king."

"Why does it feel like we're the only ones who still care, then? And Shane and Marnie now that Jas is gone?" Sam asked quietly, head bowed a bit.

Harvey sighed. "Do you want the brutally honest answer or the watered down one?" he asked.

"There are two versions?" Sam asked, grimacing. Harvey hummed, nodding in response. Sam winced, looking away, then gave a weak smile. "Give it to me straight, doc," he joked. Harvey gave him a look that screamed 'really?'. Sam grinned mischievously. "Always wanted to say that."

Harvey half rolled his eyes then looked out the window. "The brutally honest answer is that there's a war going on that's striking closer to home than it ever has before. Bombings near Zuzu City, a close brush with being blown up ourselves, accusations of spies, people being dragged in to be interrogated on the most baseless of claims… Now, for the first time, we're feeling the effects of this war personally, right on our shores. Our lives, our _existence_ , is at stake. Right now, _that's_ the most pressing thing for the majority. The elf king was fond of the children, very much so, and so Vince and Jas are probably the safest they've ever been in their whole lives. They're _certainly_ safer than any of us. Even if the village was wiped off the map tomorrow, and everyone there killed, _they_ would still live. The fair folk took them, yes, but they also protect them. They're safe and sheltered in the halls of the elven king. The power and magic of the fae defends them. We need to focus, right now, on making sure we're still alive for them to come _back_ to. Just-just trust that they're alright. Because they are. I promise they are."

There was silence. Tears slipped from Jodi's eyes. And from Sam's. Kent was valiantly trying to hold his own back by focusing on the road. Jodi sniffed. "Enough about our woes," she said, trying to sound chipper again but failing. "We're not the only ones here going through a tough time. You've had it pretty bad yourself lately, Harvey… How are you holding up?"

Harvey went silent and Jodi grimaced a bit, regretting she'd asked. "That bad, huh?" Sam said sympathetically.

"Yes," Harvey answered simply. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"How's Maru holding up?" Sam asked.

"She's… strong. Brave. Stronger and braver than me," Harvey replied. "I almost wish she'd give me the 'we should take a break' line. It would be so much better for her then. Less stressful for her and her family and less challenging. She doesn't deserve to be sucked into this. I'm almost tempted to give her the 'take a break' line myself, just so she'll distance herself from me a bit and get some relief."

"Maru's never been one to back down when she perceives a wrong," Sam said. "Girl's always liked challenges."

"Considering it's a wrong at all," Kent said slightly bitterly.

"Back off old man," Sam snapped. "Harvey's never done _anything_ to hurt us or the town!"

"God you're naïve," Kent said. Sam started, offended.

Jodi shot her husband a dagger glare out the corner of her eyes and nudged him sharply. "Kent, get a grip or so help me…" she began.

"It's alright, Jodi!" Harvey quickly cut in. "It's not surprising he's suspicious. Anyone with eyes to see knows I was setting myself up for this."

"We don't ever blame the victim," Jodi said, glaring at her husband.

"There's a such thing as setting yourself up for failure, mom," Sam said. "This isn't a case like that."

"I put _myself_ in that situation, regardless of the fact I knew it was probably a bad idea," Harvey said, nodding.

"Oh, will you stop playing innocent?" Kent all but sneered. Was everyone at home seriously this sheltered and _trusting_?

"Have you considered that referral I offered you? To the doctor in the city?" Harvey said, frowning at him. "You need help, Kent. If you're not going to take it from me, take it from someone else." Kent fell silent again. He always did, whenever the topic of seeing another doctor came up. Harvey was clueless as to why, but this time didn't press. The rest of the ride passed in silence, Jodi refusing to speak to her husband, Sam getting into his game again, and Harvey not inclined to pursue conversation. Kent had never been a man of many words, so _he_ was content to sit in silence.

Stardew

Kent dropped Jodi off at the mall. Sam didn't make a move to get out, so Harvey assumed he was going with his father, wherever Kent was headed. Jodi gave her husband a tentative kiss on the cheek, which made guilt start to manifest on Kent's face. Guilt that he'd become so separate from the man he'd been when they'd married one another. He _hated_ putting her through that. He hated making her feel like she was sharing her home with a stranger… "You sure you aren't coming, Sammy? You could use some new things," Jodi said.

"Mom, you do know I'm in my twenties, right? I can shop for my own clothes," Sam said, sighing and rolling his eyes.

"You'll always be mommy's little baby," Jodi teased, ruffling his hair and kissing him through the window. He grimaced but let it go, giving her a smile. She smiled back and left. Kent watched her leave sadly. When she disappeared inside, he sighed and started the car, beginning to drive again. He didn't talk. Neither did Sam. Harvey figured it would probably be a bad idea for him to try, and he didn't know what to say anyway, so he kept quiet too.

As they drove, Harvey began to frown deeper and deeper, slowly sitting up in the car and watching the passing buildings. He shifted uncomfortably. "This is good, Kent. You can drop me here," he said. "I appreciate the ride." Kent didn't answer. Harvey wasn't surprised. "Kent, this is good," he said a little more firmly. No answer. Sam, noticing something was up, frowned and looked over at Harvey curiously, then to his father, watching. "Kent, stop the car," Harvey said slightly sharply. No answer.

Sam frowned and turned off the game, tucking it away. "Dad, he said stop," he calmly said, crossing his arms warily.

"He's acting like I'm bringing him to an executioner. Why are you suddenly so nervous, Harvey?" Kent replied.

Harvey glared, eyes narrowed, and didn't answer. Sam's teeth began to grind in agitation. He turned to Harvey. "What's up?" he asked the man.

Harvey was quiet. "Your dad's driving to the military base," he finally said.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "So?" he asked warily.

"You're smarter than that, Sam," Harvey replied. "Put it together."

Sam's jaw tightened slightly as he recalled the radio broadcast calling on anyone with information on potential spies to report it to the military authorities. His father was army. He had an in with the military. The military who was actively hunting those spies, intent on interrogating them for information. Spies of which his father believed Harvey was one. Harvey who was now stuck in dad's car like a sitting duck. "Pull. The damn car. Over," Sam icily said to his dad.

"Suddenly I'm the enemy, Sam?" Kent replied. "I have documents to bring them. I'm not going there to hand them Harvey giftwrapped."

"It's fine," Harvey murmured to Sam. "Your father and I can't keep making one another arch nemeses if we're going to repair, after all." His tone bordered on something Sam didn't like. A challenge? A threat…?

"Right. This will be a good trust building exercise," Kent said, tone icy and falsely cheery. "You and the doc just sit tight. I'll be back soon enough and drive Harvey where he needs to be." Sam looked from one to the other and began to appear very uncomfortable, shifting awkwardly. Suddenly he really wished he'd gone with mom.

Stardew

Kent hadn't pulled into the compound. He'd parked a short distance outside it and walked towards an outbuilding. The second he was out of sight, Harvey unfastened his seatbelt and went for the door. "I thought this was a sign of trust," Sam spoke up slightly condescendingly. "Thought you and dad couldn't keep making one another arch enemies if you were 'going to repair'."

Harvey paused, not turning around. "Turns out I'm a hypocrite," he finally replied, opening the door and getting out.

Sam scowled and took off his own seatbelt, getting out agitatedly. "The hell is wrong with you, Harvey? Why are you so afraid and jumpy over this?! Even if he _does_ turn you in, what's the worst that happens? You go into some interrogation room, get a background check done, answer a few questions, show some papers, and you're out."

Harvey half laughed, turning to Sam and walking backwards. "God your father was right. You are so incredibly naïve," he said. But his voice lacked venom. It sounded more like it was bordering on despair. He turned, walking quicker.

Sam scowled, running after him. "How? How am I naïve?!" he demanded.

"You've probably heard plenty of stories about what your father endured in that POW camp. Or maybe you haven't, because I feel like if you did, you'd be a lot less sheltered as to what'll happen to me if I'm dragged into an interrogation room."

"This isn't the Gotoro Empire, Harvey! Ferngill doesn't torture their prisoners or use torture in interrogations," Sam said.

"Is that what you think, Sam?!" Harvey demanded, turning on him viciously. "You think Ferngill's so much kinder to their captives or suspected spies than Gotoro? That what your dad told you? Well maybe he believes it too. Maybe he's just as naïve as his son. That would certainly explain a lot. Or maybe he just _chooses_ to be blind to it. The thing with torture, Sam, is that almost everyone has a breaking point, _everyone_. And when that point is reached, guilty or not a person will confess to _anything_ just to make it stop. _Anything_. Whether it's the truth or they're lying to spare themselves anguish, it doesn't matter. They confess to it anyway. The innocent are lumped in with the guilty, people are wrongly condemned, people are wrongly imprisoned or executed… Have you heard of the witch trials? If not, now might be the time for you to brush up on them. Historic _proof_ as to what I'm saying… And I'm not sticking around to see whether your dad is bluffing about throwing me under the bus or not."

"Don't give him victory in this for Yoba's sake! Prove him wrong about you, Harvey. Stand your ground, man. Don't be such a coward!" he shot.

"I _am_ a coward, Sam! It's what I am!" Harvey snapped.

"Running will just make you look guilty and you know it!" Sam shot.

"Then I'm guilty," Harvey said, continuing.

"Harvey please!" Sam pled, now a bit scared for the doctor. "Listen to me, I'll back you up, okay? I won't let anything bad happen! If you won't trust my dad, then trust _me_! _Please_!" Harvey slowed down, pausing. He didn't turn around, though. "Just-just come back, man, okay? Just come back. If something goes wrong, I'll even _help_ you get away. You can do this. You don't have to be scared this time. Just be brave this _once_!"

Harvey winced, looking down. After a moment he sighed, reaching under his glasses to rub the corners of his eyes. He took a breath and turned, staring at Sam. "Fine," he finally relented. "Fine."

"Okay," Sam said, nodding in agreement and really hoping he didn't regret this. He waited for Harvey to head back first. Harvey sighed but did so to appease the younger man. Sam followed him and they got back in the car, buckling up. Sam didn't go back to his game this time. He watched warily out the window, looking for the first sign of something going wrong. He glanced at Harvey. Harvey looked resigned… Like he was just waiting to be dragged out of here in cuffs… "You'll be okay," Sam said, trying again to reassure the other. Harvey didn't comment, just looked up through the front window staring listlessly.

Stardew

The next five minutes felt like five years, to Sam. They probably felt like five _decades_ to Harvey. Finally, Kent came out. Harvey braced, as did Sam, but no military personnel followed the man. Kent arrived back at the car and slid in. He glanced back. "So, you stuck around after all," Kent said.

"I have nothing to hide," Harvey replied, shrugging. Kent looked unconvinced, but now a little less sure about his suspicions. Harvey counted it as a win and gave a grateful glance to Sam, who nodded subtly back. Harvey well knew that if Sam hadn't talked him out of coming back, this would have probably gone a whole lot different.

"Where are we heading to drop you off?" Kent asked, sounding a bit resigned.

"The pharmacy. The big one," Harvey replied. He gave the man directions, and Kent drove him to where he wanted to go. Harvey got out of the car and watched Sam and Kent drive off in relief. Finally, he turned to enter the pharmacy and grab what he needed. He'd walk back home after he'd finished the things he needed to arrange and get done…

Stardew

The elf king sat upon his throne of carven wood, lounging upon it and holding his oaken staff in his hand as he observed the little children play in his glen. "Your majesty?" Jas finally asked, looking over at him as she and Vincent paused their game, looking a bit sad. He tilted his head ever so slightly, and barely perceptively nodded to grant her permission to speak. "It's getting very late. Won't out families be worried about us? Shouldn't we go back?"

"Little ones, you've only been here a very short while," he answered with a smile.

"I don't think mama and papa would want me to spend another night," Vincent said uncertainly, shifting.

"Hmm… If you wish to go, little ones, you may go. But a storm is on the horizon now, large and mighty. If you return now, you will be caught in its center. And there is nothing I will be able to do for you then… Stay a little longer, children. Another night, maybe two, and then all will be well, and you may return. Your families will not mind. They will know where you have gone. I will speak to them and tell them," he said.

"What storm is coming, your majesty?" Jas asked, sounding a bit concerned.

The elf king's expression became wistful. Perhaps slightly sad as well. "It is nothing you need concern yourselves over, little ones. It will at first seem to get better. But it will only grow to be so much worse… And then the storm will come against _me_ … But you need not fear that tempest, children. You will be safe from it in the arms of your loved ones again."

"Wh-what will happen to _you_?" Vincent asked, looking deeply concerned now.

"Hush, dear infants. Hush. Do not fear for me," he answered gently.

"You look different, your majesty. Somehow," Jas said, seeming worried. His glow didn't seem as splendid anymore. It seemed faded. "Are you sick?"

"No, dear girl. Only tired," he answered. "It is much work to keep up my garden as it is, and the forest." They seemed to both accept this answer, smiling brightly, then turned back to their game. The elf king's smile slowly fell, and he looked towards the sky above.

"Sir, who was he strange man who came here? The one we could see through?" Jas asked.

The elf was quiet. "A friend," he finally answered.

"An elf like you?" Vince asked. The king gave no answer. Vince frowned but let it go. "Did he give you a grade?" he asked. "It sounded like he was."

A small smirk pulled at the corner of the faery creature's mouth. "He did. And it was well."

"An A?" Jas asked.

"The highest grade he could give. As if anything less could have been expected," the king answered, unable to help the haughty boast. "I have... missed him."

"Is he going to stay?" Vince asked.

"No, child… No... But every so often he may visit, should I summon him to," he replied. "Now play your games, little ones, and pursue your questions no farther. Sing and run and chase the butterflies and streams. It well pleases me to see you content." They grinned at him and did so, scrambling up to run off and play somewhere else. He smiled after them then closed his eyes, letting out a shaking and weak breath.


	11. Third Summer

(A/N: Feel like I maybe should have made this espionage subplot a whole story on its own, so my apologies for that. The ideas just kept coming. However, by the time the probably two-part Fall chapter is over, it should have mostly passed by. Reviews and feedback are welcomed and in fact encouraged. Enjoy.)

 **Summer**

It was as if the world had fallen apart while they were sleeping. Reports of men and women dragged from their homes by the military and disappearing. Not only in the Gotoro Empire, but in the Ferngill Republic as well. The news blasted with alarmed broadcasts and fears. A list had been leaked with names of suspected spies, and mobs were attacking homes and families in the streets if one of them was on that list, dragging them out and beating them sometimes to death. In front of their children or spouses or parents. Maru was terrified out of her head. Harvey's name had been on that list… The first time the report had aired, the wrench she'd been holding as she'd been working on an invention had dropped to the ground. She'd barely registered it. Now this was the second or third time this same report had played. Nervously she chewed her nails as she listened to his name being recited yet again. She didn't even know what to do or think anymore, or how to take this. Tears burned her eyes. She could hear a screaming match between Sebastian and Abigail, their opinions on this situation in complete opposition. Sebastian, who had worked to keep Maru from Harvey when Kent's accusation had first come out, now defended him while Abigail, who had been on Harvey's side before, was now against him. Maru clasped her throat and swallowed over a lump in it. She turned off the TV the moment the report was done, sinking down onto her couch and staring at the ground, totally lost. She curled up in a ball, burying her head in her knees…

Stardew

Harvey stared at the television expressionlessly, listening to his own name being listed off. And the town he lived in. The phone had been ringing angrily all morning. He hadn't picked up a single call. They were probably from patients here and in Zuzu City both, demanding answers or wanting to curse him out. He felt like he should feel like running… Instead he just felt numb… Where could he run to anyway…? He sat, staring at the TV silently. If it was this bad here, where the front wasn't even located, then what was it like in Gotoro…? He let out a shaking breath, bowing his head low. He heard a knock on the door. He tensed and didn't move to answer it. "Harvey?" a voice called out, breaking. Maru. He stared ahead at the ground, not moving to answer. "Baby please, open up," she pled. He didn't move. "I'm not leaving, Harvey," she said. No answer. He heard her slide down against the door. He tried to pretend she wasn't there… Until her heard a sniff that sounded like she might be crying.

He winced and let out another shaking breath, standing a bit unsteadily and walking to the door. He was probably in shock, he realized. It would explain the numbness, his unsteadiness, his silence… A mild shock… He reached the door and unlocked it like he was on autopilot, but didn't open up. She rose quickly and opened it herself, coming quickly inside and falling into his arms, clinging tightly to him. He held her numbly back, staring at the open doorway like he half expected the military to come barging up and drag him off.

"It isn't true. They've got it wrong. It isn't true," Maru was saying through tears, voice muffled against his coat. "It isn't true…"

He swallowed and wrapped his arms tighter around her, holding her close and resting his head on hers. "You need to go, love," he whispered softly.

"I'm not leaving you," she said.

"You need to go," he repeated. She didn't grace him with an answer. "Maru, it's true," he said, voice a painful whisper. He heard her catch her breath, felt her stiffen in his arms. His eyes closed tightly, and he swallowed.

She pulled back quickly, looking up at him. "What?" she asked in a breath, eyes devastated.

"It's true," he said in all seriousness, reaching up and gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Her lips slowly parted as if she couldn't believe she was hearing this. "No. No, it-it isn't," she said, fingers tightening on his jacket as she shook her head in denial. "You're just saying that so I'll leave! It isn't true!" She struck his chest with her fists.

He barely flinched, just closing his eyes and glancing away. "Yes, it is," he said. "And you need to go. Right now." Yoba only knew what Kent was going to do now, but somehow he suspected Kent was probably the _least_ of his worries. It wouldn't be long before something came after him. If it wasn't a mob, it was going to be the police or the military. He didn't want her to be here when that happened… Not that she would particularly care after _this_ …

She could only stare at him, lips parted in shock. He was vaguely surprised she didn't say something along the lines of 'you were just using me?'. But then what reason would she have to say that? He'd never picked her brain about anything much beyond medicine or some of her projects. When she'd said something was confidential or secret, he'd stayed away from the topic, so for her to think he'd been using her was farfetched, to say the least.

She gazed at him in shock. She didn't know whether he was lying to get her to leave, or telling the truth to… what? Get her to leave? There was nothing he could gain from telling her the truth! He could only lose! Why would he tell it, then? Why would he…? Why…? "Why…?" she heard herself whisper. No answer. "Why?!" she screamed, pushing at him and moving quickly back.

Harvey winced, feeling her leave his embrace, but he couldn't say he hadn't seen it coming. He looked back at her. There were a million answers he wanted to give her, a million excuses, a million reasons… Part of him wanted to tell her she could never understand, but he knew that maybe she could have. If he had the time left him to explain it to her… If she had any sort of desire to hear him out all the way through… A million answers to give. But he gave none of them. Instead he hardened his expression, stepped back from her, and made a Gotoran gesture of loyalty, meeting her eyes calmly. She stood rooted to the spot like she didn't know what to do, tears slipping from her pretty eyes. She sobbed, then, turning and fleeing. Heartbroken.

He watched her go then let out a quivering sigh, bowing his head low and closing his eyes tightly, swallowing. "Be safe…" he pled quietly in a breaking voice.

Stardew

Kent listened to the broadcast silently and solemnly. Jodi silently cried in the background, face buried in her hands like she couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't blame her. He'd shed his fair share of tears since the world was turned upside down overnight. She'd been the strongest of them all, so far… Sam had raged… Now, though, he only stood in the background glaring darkly and bitterly at his father's back. He could practically feel the anger and disgust and hate radiating from his son. Towards him, not Harvey. He should have expected as much.

"You did this," Sam darkly said.

"I was obligated to," Kent answered. "It's my job, Sam."

"Once upon a time your job was to be a father and a husband, not to destroy lives like this," Sam said. He turned, storming angrily out of the house in disgust. He felt like it should be Harvey he was disgusted at, but it wasn't. Maybe eventually it would be, if it was proven true the doc was a spy, but he wasn't so sure anymore. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. He almost wished he was still a child, so the elf king would drag _him_ away from all this too… Elliott had said, once, that the elf king was right to take the children away, during a particularly stressful moment. Sam had tried to beat him to a pulp, but Sebastian had held him back, giving Elliott time to get away. Turned out Elliott had been right… The elf king had been so, _so_ right to steal Vince and Jas away from all this misery. Even Shane thought so now…

Stardew

Harvey stood on the dock, looking out over the sea. He almost considered going up to a cliff and jumping off it into the ocean, but he refrained. Instead he stood here watching the waves. He heard footsteps approach but didn't turn. He knew the gait and footfall well enough, long, soft, and elegant. Elliott. The man came up beside him without a word, looking out over the water. "Is it true?" he finally asked. "Is our dear doctor really a mysterious spy?"

"It doesn't matter if it's true or false, does it? If it's true, they get to pat themselves on the back. If it's false, they'll _make_ it true and pat themselves on the back anyway," Harvey replied.

"Yes, well, that wasn't my question now, was it?" Elliott said.

Harvey shook his head. "I don't know what to tell you, Elliott," he replied.

"The truth," Elliott replied.

"You're a writer with an imagination wondrous and vast… Can there really be a true and a false in this situation?" Harvey asked.

"You speak in riddles, my friend," Elliott said approvingly. "But I can understand why, of course… Tell me your story, doctor. All of it. You know how well I listen."

Harvey shook his head and looked over at the author before tuning to face him full on. Elliott was already in that position. Harvey summed him up, reading him quietly, then sighed. Putting a hand on Elliott's shoulder, he said, "You're a good man, Elliott. Among the best here. I would have perhaps told you everything one day… But right now, the less you or anyone else associates with me, the safer you'll be when they come. I want you to be safe… I want _all_ of you to be safe..."

Elliott looked at the doctor's hand on his shoulder. After a moment he reached up, squeezing it reassuringly in a gesture of friendship, then looked at Harvey again, expression serious as he let go. "I've faced the elfin king with nought but a metal shard you happened to have on your person. I've brought the king of the fae to his knees, to the cusp of death… I never thought that strength or courage was in me, but it was… Perhaps it's in you too… I'm not afraid, anymore, of what fellow mortals will do to me. I've challenged something far more powerful than they and come out alive. Even knowing it could easily be rid of me, I faced it. I'll face _them_ the same," he said.

Harvey shook his head. "The king of the Fair Folk wished you neither harm nor peace. You've said it many times. Neither good nor bad. Every blessing he gives has a curse, every curse he brings has a blessing. Humans are much more straightforward than that. The majority of us tend not to see both the good and bad in something. If they want it to be bad, it's bad. If they want it to be good, it's good… If you stand by me, you'll be their enemy. A Gotoran sympathizer at best, a fellow spy at worst… And if it's true, if I'm really an enemy spy, then ask yourself if you're really willing to give up everything you have to stand by me in that case."

"How many lives have you saved, doctor? How much good have you done for this sleepy little town and the people within? When last did you do anything to harm it or harm us? Do you care for the people here at all? Do you care for _her_? Most importantly, is your love for this place and its residents genuine, or all a lie?" Elliott asked. Harvey didn't answer. Not that he needed to. Elliott was very, very good at reading people. After a moment, the author smirked. "Then I should hardly think you're an evil spy at all. Perhaps, like the fae, there is neither bad nor good in what _you've_ done as well… But then I can't presume to know. If you come around to the idea of talking, Harvey, you know where to find me." With that, Elliott turned and left him alone.

Stardew

Kent was dreaming. It was a strange dream. It felt almost ethereal… There was no clear visual of where he was. All that was there was an elfin king, gloious and powerful, seated upon a massive and intricate carven throne. A staff of oak was in his hand, his crown splendid, and his eyes were upon the mortal in his presence neither condemning or condoning. "Am I wicked?" Kent asked it, staring.

"That is not mine to judge," it answered.

"Judge anyway," Kent replied.

The elf king summed him up in silence, head tilting slightly to the side. "This is not a matter of wicked or good," he soon said.

"Then what is it?" Kent asked.

"A matter of right and wrong… And there is no answer for you, mortal… If you are right, and the doctor is a spy, you have found that which is guilty and brought it to judgement… But what is it they are judging…?" the king asked.

"A traitor," Kent replied.

"Traitors and heroes. Humph. Put such childish concepts out of your mind," it replied, tone sharp and sounding for all the world like a chastising parent. "He is no more a traitor than your spies in Gotoro."

"Those men are heroes," Kent said, looking down, but even _he_ could taste the hypocrisy in his mouth. Heroes to Ferngill, traitors to Gotoro. Harvey may be a traitor to Ferngill, but he would be a hero to Gotoro.

"You lay accusations without knowing full details. You assume one thing when another may be true. A spy for Gotoro or a spy for you? A spy for _either_ of you? Perhaps he works for no side after all, and then what is it they judge in the end? A 'hero' or a 'traitor'?" the elf remarked.

"Am I wicked?" Kent repeated.

"You are confused," the creature answered. "Lost. Afraid… You want to do what is right but are no longer certain what 'right' is. Was there ever a right and a wrong in this matter, or was it really as simple as one side or the other? You want to protect your family, your friends, your kingdom, but you know not what you are protecting them _from_ anymore… There is no hero in this war… A hero would want and fight for no death or suffering at all…"

Stardew

Suddenly there was a knocking at the door, and Kent was pulled from his dream feeling tears in his eyes. He wiped them away in frustration and blinked down at his wife, who he had an arm wrapped around. He stared a moment then bent, kissing her softly and getting up to answer, throwing on a shirt with a resentful grumble. He went to the door and peered out. His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach when he saw. Soldiers. He felt himself shaking a bit and swallowed, closing his eyes and trying to get a grip. Finally, he opened the door. "Sir," he greeted the superior officer standing there.

"Sergeant," the officer replied, saluting. Kent bit back the urge to tell the man he had a name. "The doctor. Where does he live?" Kent was quiet. The officer sighed. "You were the one who brought him to our attention, soldier," he said. "You know this has to happen."

Kent ground his teeth together. "Yes sir," he finally managed to get out.

"Good man. Bring us to him," the man said.

Kent sighed and stepped back in to get on his boots. Soon he came back out and nodded for them to follow. He began to lead them to the clinic, but paused as the bridge to the beach came into sight. Walking across it was Harvey. Kent almost led his comrades to the clinic anyway, give Harvey time to see and… and hide… But he stared a moment too long, and they followed his gaze and knew who the man was. Immediately they marched towards him. Kent stayed in place, watching silently on. "Halt!" the officer shouted. Harvey froze, quickly looking up, and bristled. He didn't move to run or resist, though. Just darkly glared as they hurried towards him. "You're the town doctor. Harvey," the officer more stated than asked.

Harvey stared, glanced towards Kent who looked torn, then looked back to the men again. "Let's do this quietly," he finally said. "There's no need to wake the whole village." The quieter it was, the less likely anyone would put themselves in danger trying to come to his defence. Considering anyone bothered to at this point. He offered his arms, glaring darkly. The soldiers looked vaguely surprised at the compliance, but soon cuffed him. Tightly. Tight enough that said cuffs were biting into his skin. He winced slightly but didn't speak. He gave a last icy look to Kent… Threatening… Kent subtly shivered, suddenly feeling like he'd made a very, very big mistake. Harvey held his eyes until he was led out of sight, and Kent remained rooted to the spot, unsure of what to make of that unexpected and menacing change in the mild-tempered doctor. Perhaps he'd been right after all. Perhaps, in this at least, there _was_ just good and evil… It was the first time in a while he'd felt like he just might have been on the good side…

Stardew

Kent sat on base, expression troubled and regretful. It had taken all of a day before they'd realized the doctor was missing. Hell had broken loose. Maru had almost shredded him. If not for her father holding her back, she probably would have torn his eyes out screaming at him and demanding answers. Sam had been utterly disgusted and had walked right out of the house to crash with Sebastian and Abigail. He wasn't sure, but he was fairly certain that had been Sam's way of moving out. Things had begun to disappear from his room piece by piece. Jodi hadn't spoken to him, or barely had, ever since. Suddenly _he_ was the one being treated like he had the plague, and got a first-hand taste of how Harvey must have felt. He'd just… eventually he'd just had to get away…

He'd come to the base because it was the only place he had left to go. They'd kept the doctor in interrogation for days now. He hadn't said a word, they told him. They claimed he'd been given food and water and rest… Kent wanted so badly to believe them… It was hard to take them at their word, though, when his dreams were filled with images of an unclothed, sleep-deprived, dehydrated, starved Harvey locked in a tiny room… He just waited for news now, asking whoever happened to pass by what the status on the doctor was. _'He's holding out' 'He's keeping his silence' 'He'll break eventually, they always do'_. And then the report that totally threw him for a loop… It wasn't even a report. It was an emergency alarm and an announcement blaring over speakers. _'Prisoner insert-Harvey's-number-here has escaped! Be on the lookout. He's considered armed and extremely dangerous.'_

Kent had to process the statement for like a minute before it finally sank in. Harvey had escaped. _Armed_. Which meant… which meant he'd have had to disarm a highly trained soldier and taken his or her weapon. And if they hadn't been able to find him immediately, he'd probably taken their uniform too and hidden the downed man or woman well enough it had taken some time to discover what had happened. That was something an ordinary civilian could never do… This time there was no alternate explanation that could be offered… He tried to make himself believe that as a doctor Harvey would know where to strike to knock someone out cold, and that was true enough yes, but getting that close to the man or woman in the _first_ place? No. There was nothing that could explain a civilian doctor being able to do that…

Kent let out a shaking sigh, balling his hands and resting his forehead against them, shaking his head. "Dammit…" he whispered. He'd hoped it wasn't true… He had sincerely and truly hoped it wasn't true… He'd wanted to believe… He looked up, misery in his eyes. He rose with an angered scoff, grabbing his things and leaving to go to his car and go home. He might keep this twist quiet from them though. They'd learn on their own what had happened. In time.

He went out to his car and started it up, driving out of the compound glumly. He stopped at a stop sign a distance away from it to check traffic. Suddenly he felt a cloth cover his mouth and caught his breath, immediately seizing the arms of whoever had grabbed him and trying to pry them away. Whoever had taken hold of him, though, kept their grip tight and sure, maneuvering their arms well enough to make it too difficult to get a good enough grip to do anything. It was only seconds before Kent had slumped over unconscious…

Stardew

He blinked his eyes open wearily, vision blurry. Someone was standing there. He couldn't make out who it was just yet. Soon enough, though, he caught his breath, stiffening as he recognized the figure. Harvey! Kent was utterly still, staring at the man in shock. He tried to lunge, suddenly, only to feel restraints holding him down. Panic crossed his expression, flashbacks of his time as a POW, and he began to start having a panic attack. "Breathe, Kent. In, out. Count," Harvey said perfectly calmly, like they weren't in this f-ed up situation at all and were just having a normal old session at the clinic. The calmness only made him panic more. "You know I'm going to have to sedate you if you don't control this. You don't want that right now, trust me." Kent fought to try and control his breathing and panic, but he couldn't, he couldn't! Harvey sighed boredly and approached, sitting next to him. Kent squirmed to try and get away, but he couldn't move. He couldn't move, goddammit! He couldn't move! He couldn't breathe! He couldn't move! "Breathe," Harvey said again, pressing a grounding hand to his chest. "In… Out… In… Out…"

Part of Kent wanted to just spit at the man and defy him, but he followed the instruction anyway, focusing on the grounding hand and the calming voice. He began to struggle to obey, if only for his own good, and soon his breathing began to slow, his panic starting to subside. After a moment, Harvey removed his hand and stood up again. "You-you son of a bitch. You son-you son of a bitch," Kent panted out, giving a bitter and borderline hysteric, breathy laugh. "You son of a bitch," he said again, voice squeaking a bit.

"It didn't have to come to this," Harvey said, ignoring him. "You could have just minded your own business. Focused on your family rather than obsessing over my radio. You could have gone your way, I could have gone mine. I could have helped you get better… You could have had a normal life again… No one needed to be hurt."

"You filthy spy!" Kent spat.

"Oh grow up, Kent!" Harvey replied, rolling his eyes with arms folded. "This is war, not playtime."

"How many years in the army?" Kent bitterly asked, glaring.

Harvey smirked dryly. "Enough," he replied.

"Rotations?" Kent asked, trying to buy time to figure out what to do.

"Enough," he answered.

"Answer me, damn you!" Kent shouted.

"All you need to know is that I was well enough trained to be able to get out of your military base, into your car, and of the compound without a scratch," Harvey answered. "That thing drives quite nicely, by the way. A good feel to it."

"So what now, Doctor?" Kent asked in a growl.

Harvey shrugged. "You're not my problem," he replied. "Get comfortable. You'll be here for a long, long time. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get some food and rest." Kent shouted a furious string of curses after the doctor as he walked out. Harvey shut the door and left Kent in pitch blackness chained down to what he presumed was either a table, or some kind of hard medical bed.

Stardew

Kent wasn't sure how much time passed before Harvey came back. He'd passed out shortly after the man left and had woken up feeling like he hadn't eaten in days. Now he was hooked up to IVs and various other tubing. Harvey entered, looking at charts. Kent eyed him darkly. "So, what am I? Your experiment now?" the veteran asked, voice scratchy and rough sounding.

"You slept a long time, Kent. I'm surprised," Harvey replied. "The others were disappointed they wouldn't get to have fun with you. They were so looking forward to an interrogation." If his mouth hadn't been dry, Kent would definitely have spit at the man. "Well, you're awake now."

"They're on their way then, I'd guess?" Kent bitterly asked.

"Mmm hmm," Harvey replied. "When was the last time you had a physical? Your blood pressure is a bit concerning."

"Screw you!" Kent shouted. "Go die in a hole, Harvey! Go die in a hole!"

"I was on the verge of doing just that in your 'enhanced interrogation' chamber at that damn military base," Harvey answered, shooting him a sharp look. "Throw in a close shave with hypothermia for extra measure. You know, I never knew how perverse the Ferngillian army really was until they got their hands on me. Couldn't wait to get me out of my clothes, took their time examining my body for concealed weapons, took longer than strictly necessary to wash me down, then threw me into a freezing room. Be glad you're allowed to keep your apparel and stay in a room with a comfortable temperature."

"Screw you!" Kent shot again.

Harvey sighed in exasperation and went back to his charts. "They'll be arriving shortly. I'm to make sure you're in good physical condition for them," he said.

"Guess they really want to drag it out," Kent replied with a sneer.

"Very likely," Harvey said. "How high is your pain tolerance?"

"High enough to give them a good bit of fun," Kent answered flatly.

"Unfortunate for you, then, that they plan to focus on psychological torture. I know from firsthand experience your tolerance for mind games is less than stellar right now," Harvey said. "I'll advocate for them to play the physical game with you for now."

"You're all heart, you sick psychopath," Kent bitterly replied, glaring angrily at the ground.

The doors opened, then. Harvey looked over and Kent's eyes snapped up. "Dr. H, we will be taking your patient now," the man who entered said.

"I would suggest you start with physical interrogation techniques. He's not in the ideal mental place for you to try psychological, at the moment," Harvey said. A blatant lie that they didn't even suspect. The man was good at lying, it seemed. Kent guessed it was a tool of the trade for a spy. The unknown man bowed to the doctor Gotoran style. Harvey bowed back and stepped out of his way, gesturing towards Kent.

"He will be needing your services soon enough," the man said, moving to take the veteran away. Harvey stayed quiet, watching on with arms folded.

Stardew

To say Kent needed Harvey's services after the interrogation didn't seem to express well enough just _how_ badly he needed them. He lay shuddering on the bed as Harvey tended the wounds. "They usually go many hours more than this," the doctor said. "You got lucky when the power went out in that sector." Kent was quiet. They'd tried to play at the psychological game to make up for lost time, but they hadn't gotten far before Harvey informed them he needed to tend to his wounds.

"Yoba's smiling on me _so_ brightly," Kent sarcastically replied.

"That attitude will be a faded memory by the time they finish with you," Harvey said. Kent was quiet, glaring murderously at the man as Harvey stitched up a wound. "There. Finished."

"Damn you," Kent said. It was one of the milder four-letter words the doctor had been subjected to as of late.

"What did they ask you?" Harvey asked.

"What the hell do you think they asked me? They pried for military secrets, they picked my brains about plans and weapons and tactics, and I gave them crap all," Kent said.

"Did they ask about locations? People?" Harvey asked.

"The hell do _you_ care?" Kent replied.

"Answer the question, Kent," Harvey said.

"Hah! I'm not giving you anything, you damned traitor," Kent answered.

Harvey was quiet. After a moment he looked around the cell. Soon he rose, leaving without a word. After a while he came back inside, looking ponderous. "They were much more forthcoming than you about the questions they posed to you," he said.

"Should have gone to them from the start then, doc," Kent replied.

Harvey shook his head. "You should have stayed out of it, Kent. It would have made my job so much easier," he said. "Now on top of all the complications I was having already, I'm saddled with _you_." Kent gave him a wary look, raising an eyebrow. That was a… weird choice of term. Harvey sighed in annoyance, checking his watch, then approached Kent. He picked up a needle. Kent grimaced and began to squirm. "You'll have fifteen minutes, from the time you wake up from this, to get out. Don't look for me, don't ask about me, don't _think_ about me. Think about getting home to your wife and son and nothing else. Run. And don't look back again. Ever. I'm warning you."

Kent started. "What?" he asked. What was Harvey talking about? "What do you…?" he began. He gasped as the needle was pushed into his neck, then slumped unconscious almost instantly.

Stardew

Kent woke up alone in the dark, a red light flashing above him. A siren didn't accompany it, which was strange. He tried to move and gasped, sitting bolt upright. He wasn't chained anymore! He looked ahead, and his eyes widened. The door was open! He remembered Harvey's words….

 _Fifteen minutes from the time you wake up._

He reacted, leaping from the table and running out the door. He slid to a stop with a gasp, seeing two unconscious Gotoran soldiers slumped outside the cell. He gaped in disbelief, carefully backing away, then turned and ran, eyes wide. What was happening? What was going on?! He almost tripped over another, jumping over him just in time. He stopped, this time, and knelt, taking his weapon and arming himself in case he met with resistance. The farther he got, though, the less likely it seemed that was going to happen. Unconscious men littered these halls. What had happened out here and where was Harvey?

He sped up, panting as he searched for the exit. Not that it was going to be hard. Every door in the compound that didn't lead to escape seemed to be locked. Part of him sensed, _knew_ , what was going on, who had done this for him. His brain refused to accept or believe it. It didn't make any sense. It didn't make any sense! It couldn't be true. How could it be true?! He rounded a corner and gave a cry as he ran into a man who immediately engaged him, shouting for backup that was either slow coming or not coming at all. He tried to go for his gun to shoot the man, but suddenly the man gasped, body stiffening up, and collapsed with a groan. Kent gawked in shock and looked quickly up. He saw Harvey, now racing away. "You!" he shouted furiously. "Come back here you coward! Come back here! What's going on, Harvey? What the hell is going on?! Stop running from me, you traitor! Stop!" He didn't understand anything anymore!

Harvey raced around a corner. Kent followed and slid to a stop with a gasp. The doctor was typing some commands onto a computer. From behind a reinforced, plexiglass window to a room that was without doubt locked tight behind him. Kent heard a door opening and sharply looked over. He saw light filtering in through the opening door. It opened wide, revealing the path to freedom. Kent was still. Then Harvey spoke into a microphone, his voice coming over a speaker. "Go home, Kent," he said simply. "You have two choices here now. You go free, or you come after me. If you come after me, your chance to go home is gone. You don't have time to rip my head off and still make it out of this compound before the guards wake up and the place goes into lockdown."

"What is even _happening_ anymore?!" Kent demanded. "Harvey, give me answers! Why are you doing this? _What_ is this? What are _you_?! Please! Who are you?!"

"I'm the same man you've always known, Kent," Harvey answered, sounding more tired than anything. "Go. Or you're going to doom us both."

"Talk to me, damn you!" Kent shouted.

Harvey only smiled ruefully, shaking his head. "Some questions are better left unanswered," he replied plainly.

"Why?" Kent pressed.

Harvey sighed, bowing his head and shaking it. "Leave," he said once more. "You have only seconds now."

Kent turned to look towards his escape, shifting uneasily. He could go home. He could see Jodi and Sam and Vince again… But would he really…? His relationship with his oldest was in tatters and only a miracle would save it now. His youngest didn't even know him anymore… And his wife… She lived with a stranger… He could go home, but at this point he had no home to return to… Right now? Right now, he needed answers. He needed to understand _what_ he'd thrown away his family and his life for. He turned back to Harvey. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. Harvey looked startled, then extremely concerned. It wasn't a look Kent was expecting, but he didn't let that show. Time was up, now. He heard the shouting and yelling of Gotoran soldiers scrambling to find him.

Harvey was silent, staring at him. Concern faded in the wake of annoyance. The man was highly, highly unimpressed with his choice. "You should have stayed away… Why do you insist on making things this much more complicated for me?" Suddenly he pushed a button. The door opened. Harvey bolted out, running for the exit. If Kent wanted answers, he'd follow him to get them Harvey assumed, and with a startled and alarmed cry Kent did, charging after Harvey. Harvey ran out of the compound, racing towards a car and jumping into it, starting it up and tearing away. Kent spotted his own car parked outside and ran to it, hoping Harvey had left the keys inside. He had. Kent fully believed he'd done so on purpose, at this point. He'd planned this whole thing, this whole escape. He'd planned it all! Just how much, he wondered, had been fake and real? With luck, soon he'd find out. He started his car and tore after Harvey, pursuing him determinedly.

Stardew

Harvey drove in silence, one hand on the wheel and the other leaning on the door and resting in front of his mouth. He didn't know where to go from here. He hadn't factored this scenario into his plan and was officially clueless and planning on the fly. Hunted by the Ferngill army, needing to keep Kent out of the hands of the Gotoro one… If he gave the man the answers he looked for, maybe he could right all of this and get back to business as usual. The sooner that happened the better. The problem was too much was at stake right now to share that kind of information so easily. Then again, this was a unique scenario _no_ one had planned on. They hadn't calculated for this. Before he said too much, he would have to discuss it with his contacts. First things first, Kent. The man was going to follow him to hell and back to get what he wanted out of him. He couldn't expect to shake him long. It would be wisest to pull over somewhere and let him catch up. Of course, there was no guarantee the man wouldn't just shoot him or break his neck when he got his hands on him. He shook his head in frustration. He hadn't signed up for this. Not any of it. Finally he sighed in aggravation and pulled over at a viewpoint, getting out of the car and marching to it, looking out over the Ferngill Republic expressionlessly.

It was only seconds before Kent arrived, pulling in. The man leapt out of the car and ran at him. Harvey spun quickly, bracing for impact. The man seized his throat, pushing him half over the railing with murder in his eyes. "Talk damn you!" he roared angrily. "Talk!" Harvey glared quietly. "What did you do, Harvey? What did you do?! What was truth and what was a lie, huh?! What's going on?!"

Harvey considered his response. "I was the one who kept you unconscious for days on end. I did it to spare you the pain that would have come on you when they got their hands on you. I drugged you and kept you drugged and unconscious until the bulk of their anger dissipated and things would be more bearable for you when they got you into that room. I pushed for your physical torture because you can handle physical. Psychological would have broken you and that was an unacceptable risk. I turned off the power to get the physical pain to stop sooner, and when they tried to switch to psychological I stopped them by spiriting you away to the medical room." He paused, considering what else he could confess to safely, but ultimately chose to stop there for now. Until he could judge Kent's reaction to all this better.

"Why did you drag me there at all?!" Kent demanded.

A glare. "Pettiness. You were annoying me," Harvey flatly replied. Kent started then looked highly unimpressed. Harvey sighed. "I needed to figure out what information they were looking for," he elaborated a bit more. "For… reasons."

"You needed to find out… What the hell side are you on, Harvey?!" Kent demanded. Harvey glared at him but kept quiet. "Talk, or I'll drag you back to _our_ military base to make you," he threatened.

"The one that treated me less humanely than the Gotorans treated you?" Harvey bitterly bit. He was rewarded with a punch to the face which he had seen coming so really wasn't surprised over.

"You stupid coward," Kent snarled. He wrestled Harvey up, wrenching his arms behind his back and forcing him towards his car. Harvey struggled only briefly before giving it up. He wasn't going to bank on a physical matchup between him and Kent. The man was built like a cliff and had at least a head more height to him. He shoved Harvey into the vehicle and climbed in after him. Harvey glared spitefully out the window.

"I need to make a call," Harvey said.

"What makes you think you deserve that privilege?" Kent asked.

"Don't worry, Kent. You'll love this one," Harvey said, rolling his eyes. Kent huffed but didn't protest. Harvey pulled out his phone and dialled a number. He held it to his ear, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up. Immediately he began to speak in Gotoran to the person on the other end.

"Talk English!" Kent snapped.

Harvey frowned at him and winced as the person on the other end started shouting, demanding answers. "D, I'm fine. For now," he said. "You could say I've been captured… Yes it was the veteran… No I should _not_ have gotten rid of him from the start…! If you didn't mean kill him, what did you even mean…? Oh my god, D, no… He's taking me where you'd expect him to take me… I need you to call a pickup service in Zuzu City and send them to the base, so he can be brought home to his family. His car's going to be lucky to make it to his compound… He's too high profile to keep contained, even if I wanted to. Which I don't. I never wanted to throw this pain on Jodi and Sam. I never wanted it on anyone…! Call them hicks one more time, I dare you… Call them dregs one more time, I dare you… Oh for Yoba's sake, grow up! Just do what I say…! My judgement calls have kept you and her alive this long, so don't you dare take that tone with me! Do it because I told you so and I'm your, uh, never mind. We're not getting into this here… No, D, I'm not going to be okay… One reason why you shouldn't murder him? Because he has a wife and two children waiting for him? Because he's a good man who just wanted to do what was right? Because he's suffered enough? Because I don't want you to? Is that enough reasons for you…? Yes. I genuinely care about them. I always have. It took you this long to realize that fully…? It'll be okay. I'll be okay… Stop, D. I know you're afraid… Don't worry about me. No matter what happens, you need to keep going. For your sake and hers and for theirs… You won't have to say goodbye. This isn't goodbye… I-I love you too. Please. Take care of yourself. And of them. Tell her I love her too… I'm sorry I'm putting you through this. I never meant for it to happen… I'll see you again… _Not_ through a viewing window… I love you."

With that he hung up quickly, grimacing. "Cheating on Maru?" Kent bit.

"There's more than one sort of love," Harvey replied, not letting the words shake him.

"So, I was right. Dr. H was a codename and the person you were contacting on that radio was an accomplice, not some random pilot," Kent dryly said.

"On occasion it was a random pilot," Harvey replied vaguely defiantly.

"Who's D and what do you mean my car is going to be lucky to make it to my base?" Kent demanded.

"Sabotage," Harvey answered. "Your fuel should be running out in not too long now."

"You drained the fuel?!" Kent demanded.

"No. I didn't puncture your gas either. I… added things to your tank that shouldn't be added to gas," Harvey said. Kent glared borderline hatefully at him, eyes narrowed. "Don't worry, Kent, he's calling a reliable Zuzu City car company."

"I can't even tell what's a lie from your mouth anymore or what's truth," Kent bitterly said. There was silence the rest of the trip.

Stardew

He didn't stick around to see what happened to the doctor. They invited him to, but he'd turned and left without even a word… He didn't know why he didn't want to stick around to see what happened to the man… Maybe because he didn't want to know… He just wanted to go home. He would have tried his car, but it had, as expected, barely managed to limp into the compound before dying. He sighed in frustration and kept an eye out for this car company Harvey had blabbered on about. He saw a vehicle parked outside. A man stood beside it. For a moment he thought he was going to start seeing Harvey everywhere like some kind of horrible hallucination, but no. This man lacked the mustache. He looked strikingly similar to the doctor, though, which just added insult to injury. He grimaced and went towards the person. He frowned. Okay seriously, this guy looked freakily similar to Harvey. Lighter hair, maybe, but the face shape, the mouth… Wow.

"Kent?" the man asked boredly, sounding unimpressed. Kent grunted an affirmative. "Get in the car and let's get you home," the man said, gesturing to it. Kent moved around to the passenger door and slid inside, buckling up. The man joined him and started the vehicle up before beginning to drive. "That little crap hole Pelican Town, right?" he said.

"Screw you," Kent replied. "Just lost your tip."

"Oh, I'm not looking for a tip," the man testily replied as he started to drive. "In fact, I'm not looking for payment at all. I want to talk. I heard you got your hands on Dr. H." Kent bristled at the words and looked sharply over, eyes wide in disbelief. Oh you had to be flipping… He went to attack the man only to find himself face-to-face with a gun. "Don't even. Like I said, I just want to talk."

"Harvey… That little bastard Harvey!" Kent shouted, punching the dash. "Mother fu…"

"Shut up!" the man snapped. "He genuinely expected me to call a car company from this rathole city. The last thing he wanted me to do was show up personally, but here I am."

"D, I presume," Kent bitterly said, eyeing the gun and looking for ways to take it from the man. The guy had his number though, it seemed. Said guy smirked coldly. "So, let's talk. Maybe you'll be more forthcoming with answers than your boss was."

"Yeah, I will be. Starting with this. He's not my boss. In fact, he's my older brother. Why do you think my boss would tell me he loved me? The man's head over heels for the little genius number in Pelican Town whose brains he absolutely refused to pick for our own gain despite my insistence, let it be known. While we're on the topic of family, the travelling merchant is our sister. My personal profession? By day, Dobson, employee of Joja Co and right hand to Morris. By night, something else entirely. Now you need to listen to me. Harvey is _not_ the enemy, okay? He's not! He's not your enemy, he's not Gotoro's enemy… _none_ of us are! Harvey isn't some Gotoran spy sent here to rip apart the Ferngill Republic, and he isn't a Ferngill spy playing the Gotoro Empire for fools," the man, Dobson, said.

Kent blinked at him blankly. "Then what the hell does that make him?!" he finally demanded.

"It makes him a neutral party playing his _own_ games," Dobson replied. "It's what we all are. We never meant for this to become what it did, ever, but things happen. And I shouldn't even be telling you what I've told you so far, in fact if this was any other situation I'd shoot myself before I spilled about any of this, but this _isn't_ any other situation. That's my _brother_ you have locked in your goddamn military compound, and I don't want to even imaging what they're going to do to him, but I know it's going to be bad and I know you're not stupid enough to believe things will be A-okay. At least Harvey seemed to believe you weren't. So, I'm telling you this despite every part of me warning me not to, because I'm not going to sit by doing _nothing_ while my brother rots in a cell and is tortured day in and day out until he dies or breaks, by the Ferngill Republic. You want to know what we've done in this war? What side we work for? Look in the glove compartment. There's a key hidden beneath your seat in a secret place. You should be able to find it soon enough, now that you know it's there."

Kent glared at him a moment before starting to search for the key. Soon he found it and inserted it into the glove compartment. He opened said compartment up and looked inside. There sat a dossier, bulging with papers and documents. After a moment he reached in, pulling it out and staring at it. "Start reading," the man, Dobson, ordered gruffly. Kent didn't move to do any such thing. Dobson shifted uncomfortably. After a moment he sighed, bowing his head a bit before watching the road again. "Fine. But take it with you, at least. Read it when you feel ready. You need to see what's inside. It has the answers you're looking for. If you need to reach me, call Joja co and ask for Dobson. Pelican Town came into sight. After passing through the tunnel, Dobson pulled over. "Get out of my sight," he ordered, parking. Kent was still staring at the dossier in silence. Finally, though, he took it and got out, walking away. Dobson tore off down the street rapidly. Kent stared at the files he held, tucked them away, then headed immediately back home. He'd been missing a long time. He needed to let his family know he was okay… And maybe, after he had taken some time to recover come to terms with all of this, he would look for his answers…

* * *

(A/N: To clarify why I make Dobson an Harvey brothers, and why Dobson looks so much like Harvey, the way I'm picturing the characters of Stardew Valley is the way they are portrayed in DCBurger's potraits mod, in my opinion one of the best ones out there, and this is from someone who doesn't even like portrait mods very much. It's a more realistic looking take on the characters, and if you look at the pictures on Google images or on the mod page, you can see how similar Dobson and Harvey look in it.)


	12. Third Fall

.

 **Fall**

It took him until the autumn to begin reading through the files. Even then it was only to put his anxious mind to rest and to try and distract himself from the looks he kept getting from the villagers. From Maru, mostly. And his son… He wondered why Jodi was even still here at this point… He'd done nothing but hurt and disappoint her since his return. He'd asked her, once, if she wanted to leave. She confessed she had thought about it, and that had hurt but he'd seen it coming. He asked her if he should pick up the papers at City Hall. She'd rolled over, looked into his eyes, and promised him she wasn't going to go anywhere. Not now, at least. But she'd made him promise to try and get better, and he'd agreed but it was just so hard. Part of what held him back had to do with his increasing guilt over Harvey.

He'd heard no news about the man, he hadn't pressed for information, he'd just wanted to forget. But he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. So, to put his mind at ease, or try, he had finally brought out the dossier he'd obtained from Dobson. He took it with him out to the backyard, sat, and began to read… And immediately regretted everything…

They called themselves the Silenced Sun, an organization made up of three siblings. Two brothers and a sister. It had started as a wry joke, nothing serious or major. Both brothers had spent some time in military training when they were teenagers, and a bit as young adults, so had a good foothold and decent contacts.

The younger brother wasn't cut out for army life. The older brother, knowing this, moved mountains to get his sibling pardoned from any kind of potential future draft or military service, and had taken up the slack. He'd gone in for the air force, he'd always dreamed of being a pilot, but he wasn't exactly army material either, and his bad eyesight and crippling fear of heights put a stop to that aspiration. On top of that he was considered something of a coward. They'd been on the verge of kicking him out of the army when his unit was ambushed by a Ferngillian one. Many died that day on both sides. The numbers would have been higher still if not for this young man who had only just started his medical training and despite that still managed to save many lives on both the Gotoro and Ferngill sides. It seemed it was at that time that he discovered his interest in saving lives instead of taking them. He trained to become a field medic, but that wasn't enough for him. The death he'd seen and the things he'd had to do haunted him. He wanted to try and ease his agonized conscience, he wanted to rescue not to kill, and so as soon as his mandatory service period was up, he continued at school for the remainder of the eight years it would take him to become a doctor.

Only while he was gone, the war got that much worse…

One night, while listening to the reports of the war with his sister and brother, they got to talking about the direness of things. Then they got up to mischief. As established, both brothers had military know-how, and the oldest had extensively studied aviation and communications, so they decided to play around and got on the radio waves. They prodded for information pretending to be soldiers or officers acting on orders from higher-ups, and they began to disrupt the plans of both the Gotoro Empire and the Ferngill Republic, sending missions to fanciful locations, misdirecting bombers, switching up orders. Harmless, petty things they didn't think would make much a difference. Then those little things _started_ to make a difference. They started to make a difference, and the little things became medium things. Then the medium things became large things. Then the large things got real…

The older brother had high-ranking friends in the military, and had known many powerful officers, even saving the lives of some. He had had access to classified files, during his stint, and had learned the names of prestigious officers even in the Ferngill Republic. He had insight into plots and campaigns that others didn't even have an inkling of, plus his aviation skills? Enough said. The younger brother, for his part, had his hooks in the economic and commercial worlds, and was surrounded and close to many influential people on all sides, often playing the socialite. Those people included government officials and military personal. Meanwhile the sister had her hooks in the underground and regularly smuggled goods from the Empire to the Republic to sell. As it turned out, it was a potent combination.

Kent read of battle plans that had been completely botched, battles that would have cost hundreds of lives but failed to work out because of the actions and plans of the Silenced Sun. Supply lines interrupted, bombing missions diverted, false coordinates given, sabotage operations carried out, intelligence swapped, the list went on! Dobson worked from out of the Empire, obtaining intelligence from them and sharing it with Harvey to give to the Republic. Harvey worked from out of Ferngill obtaining intelligence from them and exchanging it with Dobson to give to the Empire. This intelligence consisted of battle plans, secret bombing missions, potential raids, etc. Not small stuff. The older brother even went back to the army and offered his services and got an even _stronger_ foothold. The younger brother used his position as a trusted Joja employee to win himself favors and friends. The travelling merchant was the go-between for them. The one on the ground so to speak. She could move utterly undetected, and her contacts in the Underground helped keep things running smoothly all around. After information was swapped, the siblings worked to mess it all up on both sides, sparing as many people their lives as possible… And Kent saw more than one instance in which he would have been killed without question, that had been diverted or interrupted or scrambled… More than one instance where his life and the lives of countless others had been saved…

 _It makes him a neutral party playing his own games…_

The doctor's loyalty was not for sale. He would not compromise his honor and conscience and morals to make life easier for himself. Lives were not expendable in his eyes and would never be, and no one would force him to throw lives away just because they wanted him to pick a side.

 _What is it they judge in the end? A hero or a traitor?_

"A hero would want for no death at all…" he whispered to himself out loud, recalling the elf king's words. The king had said there was no hero in this war… But the more he read, the more it seemed like the Silenced Sun might just be the closest things to heroes there was… And one of them was now a captive of Ferngill, being tortured and humiliated for information he couldn't give… Because of _him_ … Kent swallowed thickly and let out a shuddering breath, bowing his head and letting the file fall to the ground before burying his face in his hands, shaking his head.

Stardew

"I'm going to the city," Kent said to Jodi, stepping into the kitchen the next day dressed in military fatigues. She was sitting at the table, hands balled together and tears in her eyes. She looked up, and devastation flashed across her face. "I'm not going back, Jodi," Kent said quickly to try and reassure her. "Even if I wanted to, they wouldn't let me. I'm not… in a stable enough mental place to be sent back. I just have some things I need to tie up."

"Has Sam spoken to you yet?" she asked quietly. She knew how hard Sam's silence and bitterness was hitting her husband. Very, very, very hard. Her husband had never wanted to be the villain… He hated being the bad guy.

Kent was quiet, looking away. Finally, he turned back. "No," he answered. He frankly wasn't sure his son would _ever_ speak to him again… But maybe after this, Sam would at least stop looking at him with such hatred… Or be willing to breathe the same air or walk the same path… Or anything…

"He'll come around," Jodi said sympathetically. Kent couldn't say he agreed. "Drive carefully."

"I will," Kent said. Driving was the safest thing he'd be doing. He could drive blindfolded without a seatbelt and with the airbags disabled, and it would _still_ probably be the safest thing he was about to do. "I love you."

"I love you too," Jodi replied.

"I'm… sorry… That I wasn't there like I should have been… I'm sorry I came back so wrong… I'm sorry I came back a stranger… I wish I could have made it alright again… I should have let it go. I should have let all of it go," he said quietly.

Jodi frowned in concern. "Why are you using past tense?" she asked, audibly nervous now.

He shrugged. "Didn't mean for it to come out that way. I'm not going to do anything like that, Jodi."

"You damn well better not," she hissed with a scowl, tears slipping from her eyes. She furiously wiped them away. "You don't get to leave me like that, Kent. You don't get to leave me and our sons alone. You don't get to give up!"

He shook his head and caught her around the waist, pulling her close against him. "I'm not going to give up. I'm never going to give up. I'm not going to leave you. Not of my own volition. I promise," he said vehemently, keeping her as tight against him as possible as she scowled up at him, eyes blazing. She threw her arms around his neck, kissing him angrily. He retuned her vehemence before finally drawing away and nuzzling her softly. "The only way I'm not coming back is if some accident happens, but no accident is _going_ to happen. I'll come back, Jo. I'll come back." She seemed, at first, like she wasn't going to let him go, but finally she sighed and released him, looking brokenly up at him. She didn't know what to do anymore…

"I love you," she said to him a second time.

"I love you too," he replied again. He kissed her forehead gently once more then left. She watched helplessly after him, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Damn him if he didn't come back… Damn him if he left them like this…

Stardew

Kent drove straight to the military prison and parked, getting quickly up and marching towards administration. He'd called ahead so they were expecting him. "Kent, it sounded important. You mentioned your concern was the doctor we're holding under suspicion of espionage. You have a right to be concerned. He's proven unexpectedly difficult to get information from. It isn't sitting right with me. He knows something," the man greeting him said.

"Has he even confessed to espionage?" Kent bit a bit tersely.

"Yes. It didn't take long to break him in that regard. We thought the rest would come easily, given he was so cooperative in answering the first question. We were wrong," the officer replied.

"Cooperative, huh?" Kent asked coldly. "What did it take to _get_ him that cooperative?"

The officer was quiet. Kent could feel the unease radiating off the man. "We've broken no law," he finally said.

"I didn't say you had," Kent replied. He knew they were telling the truth, but the law was less than stellar regarding 'acceptable interrogation tactics' in cases of espionage, terrorism, or treachery, and he was through turning a blind eye when he knew better. "You going to answer me or am I going to have to see for myself?"

"You don't have that…" the man began.

"Yes. I do," Kent cut off.

"Give us twenty minutes to prepare the prisoner to receive visitors and…" the man began.

"I'm seeing him now, Captain!" Kent shouted, turning on the officer, subtly pulling rank.

The man was quiet, staring at him. "Very well," he finally, and more than a little reluctantly, relented. Kent grunted, nodding, and gestured for the man to lead the way. The man did so and Kent followed closely, mentally bracing for whatever it was he was going to see. He knew it probably wouldn't be pretty. He knew it was going to hurt. He deserved it, though. For what he'd done to contribute to it. He deserved whatever pain came from this…

They brought him into a dark place. Solitary confinement, he realized. How long had Harvey been here now…? "How long?" he asked bluntly, looking around. The Captain was quiet. "How. Long?" Kent repeated.

After a while the Captain turned to him. "Since not long after you handed him over," he answered. Kent's jaw twitched. He swallowed quietly as they neared a cell. The man with him withdrew a set of keys. "Night vision goggles?" the man asked.

"Give me a light," Kent replied.

"The man's been in pitch blackness for…" the soldier began.

"Something that gives off a faint glow," Kent cut off.

The man turned to the door and began to unlock it. He reached into a pocket, pulling out a glow ring, and gave it to Kent. "If anything goes wrong, you know how to reach us." Kent slipped the ring on his finger, nodding. The door was opened, Kent took a deep, shaking breath, and stepped inside…

Stardew

The door shut behind him. It took Kent a moment to realize his eyes were still closed. He swallowed, opening them slowly, and immediately he regretted this _so_ much. The doctor was stripped, curled into a corner with head buried in his knees. He was shivering, from cold or from fear or maybe from both. He looked pale in the ring's glow, and thinner than it was okay for him to be… He saw angry marks on his body… Chain indents from bonds tied too tightly when they strung him up. Bruises from rough treatments and perhaps secret beatings. Scratch marks from fighting back. Burn marks, _bad_ ones, massive ones… Electrical and flame both… Kent could only stare in silence, suddenly lost for words. After a long time, he sat and stared.

 _You did this to him… You gave him over to this…_

"When…" he began, but his voice came out a cracking whisper, which was not what he'd been going for. He stopped and cleared his throat. "When did you eat last?" he asked. Harvey was quiet. "I'm… I'm not interrogating you…" No answer. Kent shifted. "H-Harvey… please…"

Harvey tensed at the use off his name then drew a deep breath, carefully looking up. His glasses had been taken, but it was probably a good thing he couldn't see too well right now because the glow from the glow ring would probably really, _really_ be hurting his eyes then. It was apparent that even now it hurt them. He looked sharply away almost immediately before slowly turning back. "Long enough," he answered hoarsely.

"Can you not play the 'long enough' card right now? Please," Kent said.

Harvey was quiet. "Two weeks," he finally answered in a whisper.

"And… and water?" Kent asked.

"Every three or four days. I'm given enough to stay alive," Harvey replied. Really there was nothing else to be said _except_ for that.

"When was the last time you slept?" Kent asked.

Harvey frowned, furrowing his brow. "Two, maybe three days. Maybe more," he replied. "I… I don't know… Day and night don't matter in here… They keep me awake, so I can't tell anyway…" Kent thought about asking what kind of torture methods they'd tried on the man, but he didn't think he could handle that right now. "Why are you here, Kent?" Harvey asked. Kent was quiet. He didn't know… He'd known when he'd come, but now? He shook his head, not answering. Harvey watched him a moment. "How is your family?" Harvey asked after a moment.

"Broken," Kent answered. "Vince is still missing, Sam unofficially officially moved out, Jodi is at the end of her rope, and me? I'm just lost… So, so lost…

Harvey hummed quietly. "Panic attacks lately?" he asked.

"For Yoba's sake, you're locked in a cell in solitary confinement, freezing, half starved, dehydrated, sleep-deprived, stark naked, and probably fresh out of another bout of torture, and you're the one trying to give _me_ a psych session?" Kent demanded.

"Giving you a 'psych session' _is_ my psych session," Harvey replied. He just… he wanted to feel normal again. He wanted to pretend like all of this wasn't happening and he was home again… He needed this… It was the first respite he'd had since this ordeal started.

Kent glared at him. "Sometimes… But I remember your tips and they usually pass soon enough…" he finally answered.

"How is your relationship with your family?" Harvey asked.

Kent was quiet. "Sam won't talk to me. Won't even look at me. Can't stand to breathe the same air I'm breathing or walk on the same path I'm walking…" he answered.

"Have you tried to speak to him?" Harvey asked.

"Of course I've tried to fu…" Kent began.

"Kent," Harvey warned.

Kent glared at him. "Of course I've tried to talk to him," he replied. "He won't talk back!"

"Don't expect him to. Just talk… You alone. Talk to him, even if he tries to ignore you or shut you out. Talk to him even if you don't think he's listening. Talk to him through his door when he locks you out if you have to. Don't give up on Sam. He loves you, Kent. No matter how it seems or what you think right now. And if talking doesn't work, write. Sometimes the written word is more powerful than the spoken one. Or sing. A song you used to sing to him when he was little, maybe. He likes music. Sing… Maybe that will touch his heart where nothing else will…" Harvey said.

Kent was quiet, staring miserably at the ground with tears burning his eyes. He hated them. "Okay," he said in a whisper finally.

"You're more cooperative with me in this situation than you ever were at the clinic," Harvey dryly said. Kent winced. Harvey regretted his words. "Sorry. Bad taste… How are your nightmares, lately?"

Kent was quiet. "Bad… But they're not about the war or the POW camp anymore…" he answered.

"Go on," Harvey said.

"They're… they're about my family… And about… about you… In here… Like this…" Kent said. Harvey was quiet. He didn't speak again, instead burying his face in his knees once more. "I met your brother," Kent said. Harvey quickly looked up, eyes wide in shock. "Came to pick me up. Car company my foot… He gave me a set of files… About you… About all of you…"

Harvey was quiet. "Where is he?" he finally, and slightly darkly, asked.

"He's fine. I didn't turn him in. I didn't say anything," Kent replied. "Haven't seen him since he dropped me back in town. Can only assume he's going at it still, along with your sister."

Harvey was quiet, reading him for any sign of a lie. Seeing none, he nodded and dropped his head back in his knees again. "Don't let them try to come for me," he finally said.

"They won't have to… _I've_ come for you…" Kent said. Harvey bristled a bit, slowly looking up at him and staring like he couldn't believe the man had just said that. Kent sighed, standing up, then left without a word more, locking the door behind him and walking away.

Stardew

He tried everything he could to avoid this. He'd asked for a chance to see Harvey upstairs. He'd gotten the man clothes again and his glasses, and food and drink and sleep. He'd argued and fought for the man's rights, insisted there wasn't enough evidence for them to hold him like this, insisted that the confession obtained had been a false one in an attempt to have the pain stop, but nothing worked. He'd gone to the military courts and they'd all but laughed in his face, then he'd gone higher with the same result. He'd been working on this for weeks now. Everything he'd tried was fruitless… So now he had to resort to something worse…

He'd never wanted this. He'd never wanted to edge on—no, full out cross into—treachery territory. The last thing he'd ever wanted to be was a traitor. Once upon a time he would have advocated the death penalty _for_ traitors! Now look at him. He didn't know whether to be disgusted with himself at this point or not. He tried not to let his hands shake so much as he got things ready for this. Harvey had done it, he told himself. Harvey had inadvertently shown him how to carry out a stunt like this, orchestrate an escape that is, when the doctor had broken him out of the Gotoran secret base. Gas, drugs, darkness, alarms, gas, drugs, darkness, alarms. Oh, this was insane. This was never going to work! He didn't have the gas, but he had the drug. He didn't have the darkness, but maybe he wouldn't need it? Mess hall. He'd volunteered to help with preparing food. He knew how much to slip in to knock them out for a few hours, he told himself. No one was going to get hurt. No one was going to get hurt… He just had to psych himself up for it.

Suddenly an alarm began blaring. Kent dropped what he was working on, looking quickly up in surprise. He rose, lips parting in disbelief. No way… "Harvey," he whispered. He cursed under his breath and raced from the office, hurrying down towards solitary confinement. Had he gotten out? He couldn't have! How had this…? What even?! It didn't matter, he determined. If he was out, he was out. It didn't change what he needed to do. He had to get Harvey out of here alive. Two soldiers were urgently shouting at others who were racing towards Solitary. One of the two soldiers pulled him to the side as he was passing. "With me, soldier!" he said loudly. Kent knew the voice instantly. His eyes widened. Harvey looked at the one across from them. "Get down there and help them subdue him! We'll check on security. They couldn't have missed this."

"Yes sir," the soldier replied, racing down.

Kent looked over at Harvey quickly. "How?" he demanded quietly.

"Careful observation, human error and carelessness, general good fortune," Harvey replied vaguely, not directly answering. Kent sensed it was a lie. Something else had happened, and whatever it was Harvey looked completely shaken over it, so Kent wasn't going to ask right now. Maybe after the doctor was safe. "Now get me out of here before my siblings get it into their fool heads that _they_ need to," Harvey continued.

"Harvey, you're not going to pull this off a second time," Kent hissed.

"I know," Harvey replied. "Which is why I need you." Kent cursed under his breath, looking back towards the stairs. "Okay, follow me," he said, starting off at a run. Harvey followed quickly.

Stardew

They made it out of the base alright. They didn't make it out of the city. Roadblocks were almost immediately set up and the whole city had been locked down in a desperate effort to find the spy and the 'kidnapped' soldier he had with him. Kent and Harvey eyed up one of said roadblocks grimly from a distance. Kent cursed. For once Harvey was inclined to agree. Holy crap indeed. Of course, 'crap' hadn't been the word Kent used. And he'd combined it with another four-letter word starting with F, which had come before it, so yeah.

Harvey sat utterly still, staring. "They're going to rip the city apart trying to find me," he finally said. "I suppose, to be fair, they'd do worse in Gotoro." Treated their prisoners more humanely where he was from apparently, but there were also fewer laws keeping the authorities in the Empire from barging into houses willy nilly and ripping people from their homes while said houses were searched. And or shooting them if they weren't happy with what they found. Kent flipped through the stations, listening grimly. Roadblocks set up on every main drag and even the side roads, police and the military scouring the city for the escaped spy… It wasn't good. Everyone was on high alert, Harvey's description was plastered across the city, and this was just all around bad news. He growled lowly in his throat, annoyed at this inconvenience.

"You have a safehouse?" Kent asked.

"We didn't plan on needing one. Of course, we didn't plan on a suspicious PTSD war vet ripping apart every aspect of one of our lives," Harvey replied slightly bitingly.

Kent gave him a sharp glare, eyes narrowed. "Is there anything?" he asked in a growl.

Harvey sighed, thinking it over. "I… There's a man who found out about us when Dobson got drunk in a casino one night. He was surprisingly okay with what he learned and went as far as to offer his services and aid to our cause."

"Oh god no," Kent said grimacing. "Don't tell me it's…"

"Qi? Fine, I won't tell you," Harvey replied. "Said mysterious man who you haven't at all heard tell of, lives part time in a penthouse somewhere in this city. It could serve as a temporary haven. It's getting there that will be the issue. I… I don't know if we can make it."

"We can make it," Kent said firmly, turning the car around. "Just give me the directions and do whatever business you have to do to set this all up." Harvey nodded, mission on lock.

Stardew

"Thank you, Qi. For letting us lay low here for a bit," Harvey said to Mr. Qi as they sat in his penthouse. Harvey was mixing tea around in a cup and Kent was agitatedly pacing the living room, looking like a caged animal.

"Of course, Dr. H. Anything for a member of the Silenced Sun," Qi answered.

"I promise we won't be here long. I just need to make the arrangements for us to get out and then we'll be out of your hair," Harvey said, pulling out a burner phone Qi had given him and starting to fire off some text messages.

"What's your plan?" Kent grunted.

"If we can't get back to Pellican Town by land, then maybe we'll be able to get back to it by water," Harvey replied. "And I know a man who can help with that. Elliott."

"The beach hermit?" Kent asked, sounding unimpressed.

"Scoff if you must, but Elliott's capable of more than people give him credit for," Harvey said. "I'm alerting my sister and brother of what's happening right now, so they won't try anything stupid. My brother may meet us at the rendezvous point, but that's about the extent of what they'll do. After I'm done texting them, I'll call Elliott personally." He finished the text messages and looked up at Kent. "I can't travel the roads, but you can. I'll need to go under them."

"Why not over?" Kent incredulously asked. "It would be easier, safer, less obvious…"

"I said I'm going under!" Harvey slightly testily snapped.

Kent started and frowned, not liking the tone. "Why do you want to make this more complicated than it already is?" he demanded.

"It's not more complicated," Harvey insisted. Kent glared at him, unimpressed. Harvey shifted. "I have reasons alright?" he lamely tried to brush off. Kent continued glaring. Harvey grimaced, hesitating a moment, then sighed. "I'm… scared of heights, okay?" he mumbled, flushing a bit. Kent face-palmed, shaking his head. He'd forgotten about that. "What?" Harvey bitterly demanded.

"You know what!" Kent shot sharply.

Harvey looked ready to retort then decided against it, huffing and turning back to the phone to dial Elliott. He held the phone to his near a bit nervously. Would he even pick up, he wondered? Once, twice, thrice. Harvey grimaced, fearing there'd be no answer. Just then, though. "Hello?" the familiar voice said.

Harvey let out a quiet breath of relief. "Elliott," he greeted. "No doubt _this_ is a voice you never thought you'd hear again for a long while."

"…Harvey?" Elliott asked in disbelief.

"Harvey? Really?" a voice said from behind. Leah, it sounded like. Odds were Leah had dropped by to see him, then. There was a brief scuffle. "Dr. Harvey? Harvey, is this really you?" Leah asked in disbelief.

"Yes. It is. Hi Leah," Harvey said.

"Oh my god, what happened to you? Are you okay?" she asked, concerned. "Everyone's been talking about it! You've been the town topic since you disappeared. Maru's absolutely devastated. How could you do this to her?!"

"You think I _chose_ to vanish?" Harvey asked with a bitter laugh. "What other rumors are going around there?"

"That one was the most palatable of them. Some are saying you probably committed suicide, some were saying you were a spy after all who fled when the heat was on, some are saying you were kidnapped by the military or an intelligence agency… I'm just glad you're alive, whatever happened."

"I appreciate that," Harvey replied. Good to know not everyone had turned on him or started to hate him. "Have Jas and Vincent…?" He trailed off.

Silence. "No," she finally replied sadly.

Harvey winced, bowing his head. He shook it, closing his eyes, then put the phone back to his ear. "Leah, you need to give me Elliott now," he said.

"Why?" Leah asked.

"Just… do this for me, okay?" Harvey said. Silence. Soon, though, he heard the phone being passed over.

"Harvey?" Elliott said, still in disbelief. "What on earth happened to you? What did… what did they do…?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Harvey replied. "I need your help, Elliott. If you've been keeping up with the news you've heard that Zuzu City is on lockdown."

"I heard," Elliott replied. "Oh no. Don't tell me."

"Well we didn't expect them to lock down the city," Harvey hissed quietly. "Kent got me out and helped me escape. Now we're trapped here and the only way back to Pelican Town that isn't blocked is by water. Air is out of the question for reasons, the roads are a no go… I need you to sail to Zuzu City and moor off the coast away from the docks and wait for us. Just wait. Then get us the hell out of here before mayhem ensues any more than it already has."

"They locked down the city just for you? My, my, doctor, you're higher profile than I thought," Elliott said.

"I didn't choose to be," Harvey flatly said, giving a look to Kent, who awkwardly cleared his throat and looked away.

"You of course realize my boat is a row boat, right?" Elliott replied.

"My sister is the travelling merchant," Harvey replied. "She has a boat that can weather the sea better than your dingy. Go to her, confirm to her I'm alive, and let her know about this plan. If she asks questions, just tell her I didn't give details because I'm not giving details. Tell her to trust me. Kent and I are finding a way out of this. Somehow."

Elliott was quiet. "Very well," he finally replied. "It shall prove to be an exploit most worthy of fuelling my next book." Or two. Or three.

"Be careful," Harvey said.

"You as well, doctor," he seriously said.

"I… How's Maru?" Harvey asked a bit quietly.

Silence. "Heartbroken," Elliott finally answered. "Fearing the worst. Do… do you have a message for her?"

Quiet. "No," he finally answered. "Anything I have to say to her will be said in person… That way if I don't make it through this, I wouldn't have given her false hope I'd come back…"

"Is it so dangerous as that?" Elliott asked quietly, audibly concerned and solemn.

"I don't know, Elliott. It might be," Harvey replied, shrugging hopelessly. He was pretty sure that if the orders weren't 'shoot on sight' yet, they would be soon if they didn't play this game right.

"Alright. When shall I head out?" the author asked.

"Tomorrow. Early, early in the morning. We'll be leaving here at three probably, when it's quietest and still pitch black," Harvey answered.

"Very well. How long will it take you to make it to the docks?" Elliott asked.

"Be early rather than late. Shoot for four or five. Six at the very latest. If anyone tries to stop you, well, you're creative. I'm sure you'll think of something," Harvey said.

"Where are you staying tonight?" Elliott asked.

"With… an ally," Harvey replied. "Whose name is best left unmentioned."

"Spoil sport," Elliott said. Harvey could hear the worried smirk in his voice. "Your sister and I will be there, I promise."

"Thank you, Elliott. I know this is asking a lot," Harvey said.

"Not at all, Harvey. I find it most thrilling," Elliott replied, chuckling a bit. Harvey smiled. "Farewell, doctor. We'll see you soon."

"Goodbye," Harvey replied.

Stardew

Elliott hung up and Harvey let out a sigh. "Are you sure we can trust him?" Kent asked.

"I'm _certain_ we can. I'd trust few more," Harvey replied. "I know asking you to get up so early is unfair, but…"

"I'm no stranger to sleep deprivation and early, early mornings," Kent said with a shrug. "I'm ready when you are."

Harvey nodded. "I'm going to text my brother again. Get him to meet us at a rendezvous point. Any suggestions?"

"The park," Kent answered. "It's pretty lush, plenty places to hide if need be… we should be okay there. It's reaching it that'll be the problem. It's not a short distance. A car so early in the morning is bound to draw attention."

"Later in the day will do you little good," Qi spoke up. "They're setting up roadblocks all over the place. Kent was right in saying it's safest up high."

"We're not going up high," Harvey flatly said. "I'd take the sewers first. In fact, get me a map of them if you please, Qi."

"Really?" Kent flatly asked.

"Yes," Harvey replied bluntly.

"The streets should be fine to walk down. As long as no one catches us walking them, we'd go undetected," Kent said.

"Then we'll stick to the streets as long as we can," Harvey replied. Once in agreement, the two men settled in and mentally prepared for an early, early morning.

Stardew

They silently gathered small bags together. Harvey's leaned more towards medical necessities should anything go wrong, and a flashlight and some other things Kent hadn't seen and didn't ask about. He for his part was leaning more towards the self-defence angle. Weapons. Weapons were his priority. Would he use them? Probably not, not against his own side, but if they were going into the sewers he'd like to be prepared. Yeah, he got alligators in the sewers were an urban legend, or so they said, but better safe than sorry. Besides, who knew what monsters lived down there? If the mines in Stardew Valley were anything to go by, various unpleasant creatures liked dark underground places. He looked over at Harvey. The doctor was shouldering his pack and looked back at him. They nodded to one another and got up, slipping out of Qi's penthouse and heading down to the streets via elevator.

"No cameras in here?" Kent asked.

"There are, but Qi has that matter dealt with," Harvey murmured in response, though he wasn't looking up at where it would be as he spoke. Probably just to be extra safe. Then if they _did_ somehow get footage, they at least couldn't read his lips and find out what he was saying.

Kent copied him, looking down. "Plan for on the street is stick to the dark, avoid streetlamps, avoid people. Easier said than done. Plus there are cameras on these streets, either from stores or general street cams, things like that."

"I've mapped out a route that should be mostly invisible. To be safe it should look like I am in fact kidnapping you," Harvey said. "You don't deserve to be branded a criminal or traitor for this. You don't have to be." Kent was quiet. "Think of your family," Harvey said as the elevator reached the lowest parking garage.

"I won't have one when I get back, I think…" Kent quietly replied.

"Yes you will," Harvey answered. "You're going to fight for them, even if you think you'll lose. It's what a soldier does. Fight to the death."

"What if this time letting them go is better? Like it would have been with you," Kent replied.

"Don't decide for them what's better for them," Harvey answered as they moved through the garage, sticking to shadows and pointedly avoiding as many cameras as they could. Harvey stuck close to Kent though, at his back as if forcing him along at gunpoint.

"Should we be having a psych session while trying to escape?" Kent asked.

Harvey was quiet. "If things go wrong, it might be the last one we ever have," he finally replied.

Kent was quiet, the weight of those words sinking in. "Talk to me doc," he finally relented.

They did in fact continue to talk. Mostly generic things, sometimes delving into psychology, sometimes talking about their families. Dobson received a lot of Kent's jabs. Apparently Kent hadn't been thrilled with the man. _'Your brother's a jackass, you know that right?' 'Who spit in his cereal?' 'Spoiled, entitled asshole' 'Whiny little prick'_ , things like that. Most of which Harvey tended to low-key agree with, so he didn't spend much time defending his little brother other than to call Kent down if he was getting too cruel towards his sibling. "I really don't like your brother," Kent flatly said after a moment's rest in roasting Dobson.

"You're going to love _this_ , then. He'll be meeting us at the rendezvous point," Harvey replied. Kent grimaced in distaste. Harvey smirked then froze, smile falling. Kent paused too. Up ahead was a car driving along. Quickly they moved into an alleyway, walking down it instead.

"Did you map for error?" Kent asked.

"Mmm hmm," Harvey replied, refraining from a sarcastic 'why do you even need to ask' remark. He led them down a few twists and turns before emerging onto another street, and for a while it looked like they'd actually get away with this... But they couldn't have hoped to avoid every camera...

Stardew

It happened suddenly. One second the street was empty, the next military and police vehicles were screeching around the corner, headlights ablaze! "Shit!" Kent exclaimed.

"Run!" Harvey panicked, of course choosing to flee rather than try and take on military fire power. Fight would be the stupidest thing to do in this situation. He dragged Kent with him in a frantic and mad dash for escape knowing full well their odds were slim at best. Sure enough the next street was flocked in short order with more vehicles! Harvey began cursing up a storm in Gotoran, darting into a network of adjoining alleys frantically.

"We can't get away from them! We need to get to the roofs," Kent insisted.

"We'd be sitting ducks for helicopters!" Harvey argued.

"Not if we can vanish inside a building!" Kent argued.

"We're not climbing! We're going under," Harvey stated firmly. "The roofs are a death-sentence, the sewers aren't, and this time it isn't fear talking. It's common sense." Kent grimaced but didn't argue. Thinking about it, Harvey had a point. Harvey darted to a manhole cover and withdrew some tools from his bag, working quickly to get it up. He got it open in record time. Kent was actually shocked. He got a feeling this wasn't Harvey's first-time playing mole and vanishing underground. Harvey all but leapt down into it. Kent almost thought he'd free-fallen but heard the ladder clanging so knew Harvey had caught it. Quickly he followed the doctor down, pulling the manhole cover over top of them. It might buy them a couple minutes, but the police and the army weren't going to be thrown for long.

Stardew

They walked in silence, Harvey shining the flashlight to light their way and looking highly annoyed and peeved, covering his mouth and nose with a hand. "Spryer than I gave you credit for doc," Kent finally said, daring to break the silence.

"Aerobics," Harvey replied. Kent gave him an incredulous and unimpressed look. Harvey flushed in embarrassment. "What?" he defended. Kent rolled his eyes, not responding. Harvey froze suddenly, listening. Kent stopped too. Footsteps and shouts. Quickly Harvey turned off the flashlight and winced at the dark. He could see reflection of light now and cursed. Quickly he flicked his own back on and took off running. Kent followed him. "You should go to them, Kent. They're not after you!" Harvey said to the other. "Say you got away. Don't come with me! Get back to the street, get to the rendezvous point, and I'll meet you when I can."

"You're a sitting duck down here alone, Harvey! If I stick around, I can play meat shield for you or try and reason with them," Kent argued.

"Or be branded a traitor and put in prison the rest of your life! I can get do this alone, Kent. Just… if I'm not there in an hour you and Dobson stick to the plan!" Harvey said.

"Saying that tells me you're not sure you're coming out of this!" Kent argued.

"I'm not. But we don't both have to go down. You playing meat shield isn't going to help me if more come up from behind. If I'm not shot from the front, I'll be shot in the back because as far as they'll know you're a hostage and their priority is to protect you. It'll _definitely_ be shoot first ask questions later then. Considering thing go wrong, if you're not with me and in perceived danger, I might still have the choice of surrender," Harvey answered.

Kent winced. He hated to admit the doc talked sense. "What if you can't do this alone? What if you're killed?" Kent asked.

"At least I had as much an opportunity as I could get… It won't be your fault, Kent. It was this or kill myself in your military base, and I was dangerously close to that point. I wasn't sure how much longer I could have held out and I was not under any circumstance risking breaking and turning in my siblings. You gave me a chance. Remember that if I do end up dead," Harvey replied, scanning for a ladder. He found one and stopped, looking at Kent. "Go."

"What am I supposed to tell your brother and sister if you don't make it?" Kent asked, sounding suddenly exhausted and incredibly strained.

"Don't tell them anything. They'll know if I don't return with you," Harvey replied. "And if you're afraid of them asking, 'what happened', don't be. In the end what happened doesn't matter. I'll still be gone. They'll know that. Maybe they'll ask how or why, but neither of them will begrudge you not answering."

"Harvey…" Kent began.

"If the worst happens, you still have the names of alternate doctors I recommended to you right?" Harvey asked, cracking a weak smile.

Kent was quiet, swallowing over an uncomfortable lump in his throat. "I'm sorry," he managed to finally say.

"Don't be. You were right, in the end," Harvey replied. "You were just doing your job. I don't begrudge you that. And I don't blame you… I'll see you in the park."

Kent let out a shaky breath, bowing his head, then nodded and turned to the ladder, quickly climbing it. Harvey waited until he'd gotten out, looked back in the direction of the nearing shouts and footsteps, then took off running once again desperately mapping out the sewers as he went.

Stardew

When Kent showed up in the park alone, a chill ran through Dobson's body as he frowned and slowly straightened up from the wall he'd been leaning on, eyes fixed on the soldier in dead silence, narrowed almost accusingly. Kent, shaken, approached the man wordlessly, not meeting his eyes. There was quiet. "Where the hell is my brother?" Dobson asked curtly.

Kent tensed up before glancing over at him with a frown. "He said if he's not here in an hour, proceed as planned."

Dobson was dead silent. "Where the hell is my brother?" he repeated again. This time his voice was quieter… Almost scared…

Kent shook his head, closing his eye and sighing through the nose. "Sewers. He's trying to get away from the military and the police… He told me, in so many words, that his chances were better without me tagging along… So I left. He wasn't going to let me stay." Dobson didn't speak. Kent glanced at him again. The younger man's eyes were fixed, now, on the trail his brother was supposed to walk. Kent winced and turned away from the sight in pain. He'd seen his fair share of siblings separated on the battlefield… Too many of those siblings had never met up again… Not alive at least. "You should sit down," Kent murmured. Might feel more bearable that way. He didn't want to imagine how overwhelmingly heavy Dobson's body must feel to him right now. Dobson just shook his head, and though Kent couldn't see it the soldier was willing to bet the young man was fighting back tears…

 _The hour passed._

 _There was no sign of Harvey…_

They waited another hour just to be sure, and Kent was willing to wait as long as Dobson chose to try and wait, but finally the young man turned mechanically and just… walked away… Kent watched after him a moment, looked back once more hoping to see Harvey, then turned and trailed after Dobson, who was silent as a grave, jaw tight… And crying, Kent saw… Silently, subtly, but certainly crying…

Stardew

They walked down the misty beach. Neither had spoken. Dobson's tears had stopped, but Kent knew it was only going to be temporary. The young man was trying to put on a brave face. Probably for his sister or to try and hold onto his 'manhood'. Which was a stupid concept that didn't even matter in war, Kent bitterly noted to himself. Or in situations like this. The guy wouldn't hold back for long, though. Not upon reaching his sister.

They saw the outline of the boat. Kent paused, staring. Dobson kept robotically going, forging on like he was on autopilot. He probably was. Guy was a trouper, he'd give him that. He honestly didn't understand how he hadn't been considered army material, given his stiff upper lip and flat determination. Good pacing too. Steady. Dobson finally stopped. A rowboat was coming out from the barge, Kent saw. Elliot's, probably. They must have brought it along for just this reason. Elliott pulled up to shore and looked nervously for Harvey. Of course, Harvey was nowhere to be found… Dobson got in the boat without a word. Kent followed.

"Kent, where's…?" Elliott began. He paused, though. Was there a point in asking, the writer wondered to himself? He had a dark feeling he knew where Harvey was… But he wanted to hear it confirmed from the man's own mouth. "Where's Harvey?" he finally managed to choke—yes, choke as in choking back a sob—out.

"MIA," Kent replied. He paused. "MPD," he amended.

Elliott let out a shaking breath, closing his eyes. He would have much preferred Kent to stick with MIA… Missing in Action was a thousand times more palatable than Missing Presumed Dead… He heard the young man behind him let out a soft and shaking and watery breath. Elliott looked questioningly at him, then back at Kent.

"His little brother. Dobon," Kent stated quietly.

Elliott was silent. Kent was getting really, really sick of the silence. Elliott turned to Dobson again. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he murmured. Dobson didn't reply. Elliott wondered if he should say something like 'your brother was a good man'. He grimaced to himself. If he were to ever write a character saying that to another recently bereaved, he would have written the other's response to be something like, _'I don't need you to tell me my brother was a good man. I know he was a good man. But now he's gone so what does that even matter?'_. It was probably best he not offer unhelpful sentiments or state the obvious. Elliott turned to Kent. "I think I prefer the MIA diagnosis. Our resident doctor is simply full of unexpected surprises," he said, pulling the boat away from shore. Maybe those words to Kent would vicariously help comfort Dobon in some small way. Kent grunted a response, staring back at shore. Dobson's eyes remained fixed on the barge. His sister could be seen now standing by the railing. Tears were in her eyes. She could already see plainly that her big brother wasn't there…

The moment they'd gotten aboard the barge, the travelling merchant had moved swiftly to her brother, taking his arms. He took hers in turn and the young man couldn't refrain anymore, sobbing audibly and hanging his head low in grief, teeth gritting together as he rested his forehead on his sister's. She sobbed as well, and continued to. She held her sibling tightly and quickly ushering him away from Elliott and Kent, who were left to haul the rowboat back onboard. "What happened?" Elliott finally asked.

"He didn't get away," Kent said simply.

"As far as we know," Elliott murmured.

"Shut up and ground yourself in reality for once," Kent replied. Elliott let the dig slide off him with little more than a frown. He didn't try to argue. Kent was in no place for that. In silence they started back to Stardew Valley, Elliott lost in thought and Kent trying to figure out what he was supposed to say…

Stardew

The boat pulled up to the docks silently. Kent and Elliott disembarked. Dobson and the Travelling Merchant, whose name they still didn't know, didn't. Instead the pig paddled away after the rowboat was offloaded, bearing them with it. Kent and Elliott watched after it quietly. "You know words, right?" Kent asked when the barge was out of sight. Elliott glanced over at him. "What am I supposed to say?" Kent quietly asked.

"That you tried to right your wrong," Elliott replied. "You can figure out the rest from there. You know your story better than I… And even if the unthinkable happens and they shun you, at least they'll know the truth. That you tried to do right by Harvey and by them. You did all you could, Kent. What they choose to do from that point on is on them, not you."

Kent was quiet. "Somehow the front lines seem less frightening than facing them," he finally said.

Elliott was quiet. "I can go with you," he offered after a moment. "But I think… I think this is something you should do alone. Do you want _me_ to see you at your most vulnerable?"

Kent shakily sighed. "Thanks. For trying," he finally said. "He was right to trust you… He had a good friend," Elliott felt a knot in his throat and didn't dare try to respond. Turning, Kent left the author to remain on the docks looking out over the ocean in silence.

Stardew

Kent approached the front door of his house and hesitated outside of it, grimacing. Finally, he reached out and knocked uncertainly. It wouldn't feel right to just walk in after all this time he'd been gone. The door opened after a moment. Sam Kent saw, heart swelling slightly and somehow dropping at the same time, because he knew what the reaction was going to be. Negative. And he was right.

Sam blinked at him then laughed sharply. "I can't believe this. You actually have the _gall_ to come back here after what you did to mom?! You took off on her, you psycho creep! For weeks without a letter or a phone call or anything! Get out and never come back!"

"Sam!" Jodi's horrified voice exclaimed. Her running footsteps. Then she stopped and gasped in shock and surprise… And hurt… Kent winced on hearing it.

"No! He's not welcome here!" Sam furiously shouted at his mother.

Jodi was quiet. "That's my decision to make," she finally said.

"You cannot _seriously_ be thinking about taking him back after this!" Sam argued vehemently.

"I want to hear what he has to say," Jodi said coldly. Cold towards both Sam and him, Kent knew. Sam looked appalled. Finally he scoffed, turning angrily to Kent, and stormed back inside the house, entering his old room and slamming the door behind him angrily.

Kent didn't move to come inside. Jodi came to the door, eyes cold and exhausted. "Give me one good reason why I should hear you out?" she said.

"There isn't one," Kent replied.

"Then you should go," Jodi replied.

"If you want me to," Kent said.

Jodi was quiet. She looked down, closing her eyes and sniffing. Finally she looked back out, letting out a stream of air as she tried to stay calm. "Where did you go?" she asked.

"To Zuzu City," he answered.

"Why?" she asked.

He was quiet. "I needed to try and right a wrong," he finally answered.

"What wrong, Kent?" she asked.

Kent was quiet, looking away. "I wanted… I wanted to try and get Harvey back…" he finally confessed.

Jodi was dead silent. "For weeks?" she finally asked, voice audibly softer and less angry.

"I tried… I went to try and see him in custody. They-they'd put him in solitary. They… they'd been torturing him… And I couldn't stand by and let that happen, so I tried to appeal to my superior officers, then I tried to appeal to the military courts, then the civilian ones too, then court after court after court as far up the chain as they'd let me go, and it took weeks to get through the process and I had so little time and was so stressed, and… And ultimately it was no use… They wouldn't listen to me! They turned a blind eye because he confessed to espionage and a Gotoran spy was a Gotoran spy was a Gotoran spy, and they aren't human beings, they're the enemy. Animals to be treated as animals! But I had to get him out. I had to because… because I learned something about him that was _so_ big… And I can't tell you what that was, but what we were doing was wrong, and I had to try and get him out no matter the cost. I tried to do it legally, I tried every avenue to do it legally, and it all came up blank! It was too late for him… And I knew it was get him out or he would die… So I started to plan…"

Jodi's eyes slowly widened as she heard this. Her lips parted. "Oh my god… Kent, did you…?"

"No! No, I was preparing to but before it came to that something happened and he managed to get out, and I found him and I smuggled him out of there and we hid in the home of a contact of his and tried to figure out how to get him out of Zuzu City after they locked the whole place down. And we came up with a plan and it was solid and good and it should have worked. It should have worked!" Kent said.

Jodi looked deeply concerned now. Kent was here, Harvey wasn't. She looked quickly around. "Get inside," she whispered quickly, pulling him into the house and shutting the door behind him. She led him quickly to the couch, sitting him down. "Oh god, what did you do Kent?" she hissed in alarm. "What did you do?"

"I was wrong, Jo. Wrong about him and wrong about everything! I tried to get him out. Things were going so good, and we made it so far… But cameras caught us and then the military and police were there—it's okay, they thought I was his hostage!—and we fled and went into the sewers to try and escape through them, but they followed us in and we ended up cornered and Harvey told me to get out because he had a better chance at survival if I wasn't there. So we split up, against my better judgement, and I went to the rendezvous point where he planned to meet me. He said to wait only an hour for him before just getting out. I… I waited two… He never came, Jo, he never came," Kent said, voice breaking with stress and guilt and grief as he clung to her hands as tightly as she was clinging to his, her eyes wide and brimming with tear now as she put together what it meant.

"You… He's…" he began. She sniffed, wiping her eyes. "He's gone?" she asked, voice breaking.

Kent shook his head. "I don't know… And I couldn't go back to find out…" But they would tomorrow, more likely than not… "I didn't mean for it to happen. I just wanted him to have some justice and dignity. He wasn't supposed to… I didn't mean for him to…" He broke off with a sob, bowing his head low and gritting his teeth. Jodi, in shock, pulled him close to her chest to hold him, stunned at the story he was telling her.

 _Maru…_

She caught her breath. What was she supposed to tell Maru?! She'd tell Robin first! Robin would know best how to break the news to her daughter… Or maybe it was better if Maru went on believing he'd just left and never come back… Oh she didn't know. But again, Robin might… "Baby…" she whispered. She held him tighter and pressed a kiss to his head. "Shh, shh. It's okay," he whispered, voice breaking. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault." The door to Sam's room slammed open and she jumped, gasping and looking quickly over with Kent. Sam was barrelling from the house in tears, furious. Oh no. He must have heard! "Sam!" she cried out.

"Sam!" Kent echoed in despair, quickly standing and reaching out after his son who didn't even stop to turn, just bolted from the house. "Dammit!" Kent exclaimed, falling back onto the couch and burying his head in his hands. That was it. He'd lost him. He'd lost his son. He'd lost them both.

"You need to go after him," Jodi said, squatting in front of him and taking his arms. "Kent, you have to try! He loves you, still, I know he does! He has to!"

"Like hell he has to!" Kent frustratedly and angrily said. "Goddammit, I've become my old man!" He'd hated his father. He hadn't shed a single tear when he'd die. Not until years later when he'd been going through his stuff, and even _those_ tears were more a 'what could have been if' sort of thing than an 'I miss you' thing.

"Try," Jodi said.

"My track record for trying, Jodi, is zilch!" Kent replied in despair.

"Try!" she insisted firmly once more. She wanted her family back, dammit! She wanted them back! She despised with a vengeance every time she'd ever implied anything else! She'd taken it for granted and now it wasn't there, and her life felt like it had come crashing down all around her! Not in a 'time will repair you' or a 'you'll move on' way either. In a 'I'm never rising up again' kind of way. Kent was silent, tears threatening his eyes.

 _He likes music, doesn't he? Sing for him._

Harvey's words. Rather, close enough to what the doc had said to him. He sniffed, closing his eyes, then stood. "Okay," he said. Jodi squeezed his hands and pressed a kiss softly to the side of his mouth. He nudged her with his head briefly then quickly hurried out of the house to go after Sam.

Stardew

Sam raced into the apartment he was sharing with Abigail and Sebastian in tears. "Sam?!" Abigail exclaimed, alarmed to see him like this.

Sam didn't answer, just went straight to his room shutting the door and locking it. Abigail looked shocked. Sebastian came out from his work room and looked at Sam's door in surprise and confusion. He looked questioningly back at Abigail, who looked totally lost as to what to make of the behavior. Sebastian went to Sam's door in concern. "Sam?" he called out, knocking.

"Just leave me alone, man! I am in _no_ mood for this," Sam furiously shouted back. "Just go back to your cave and leave me alone!"

Sebastian started, alarmed. "Sam, what's going on? Are you okay?" he called again, more concerned than before.

"Get lost!" Sam shouted.

"Sam!" Sebastian called. This time Sam didn't answer. Sebastian backed away uneasily. "What the hell?" he said, mystified.

"No kidding," Abigail agreed in concern. The door was knocked on lightly and the two gasped, looking over. After a second Abigail went to check it out, peering out. She started. "Ooh… That's what," she said, grimacing. "Kent's back." Sebastian started and winced. Ooh… Abigail looked back at him. "Should… should we let him in…?"

Sebastian was quiet. His first instinct was to turn the man away. He looked back in concern at Sam's room again. He weighed the pros and cons of letting Kent in. Cons far outweighed pros, but… but something in him insisted that maybe allowing Kent to try and reach Sam would be the best decision in the long run. "I… I don't know. Maybe," he replied, looking hopelessly at Abigail and shrugging. "It can't get much worse."

"Don't jinx it," Abigail replied with a grimace. Nonetheless, she opened the door with a hard expression on her face. "What do _you_ want?" she asked the man.

"I just need to talk to him," Kent said.

"Damn right you do!" Abigail shot. "You have any idea the hell you put him through? And Jodi?!"

Kent wisely said nothing. "He's in his room. Say what you have to and get out," Sebastian said, frowning darkly at the veteran.

Stardew

Kent entered without a word. Sebastian gestured at Sam's room and left to go into the living room with Abigail. Kent went directly to the door of his son's room and stopped outside of it. "I should have let it go… You were right, son. I should have let it go," he finally said. Silence met his words. "If you hate me, Sam, that's alright. I promise it's alright. I hate _myself_. Harvey was… he deserved better than that… I should have left him alone, I shouldn't have gotten paranoid, I shouldn't have shut out you and your mother and Vince, I shouldn't have left like I did… Everything I've done since coming back has been a mistake… And I wish I could take all those mistakes back, but I can't, and I understand why… why you came to hate me… I don't resent that. I can barely even believe your mother didn't just slam the door in my face when I returned… I deserve your hatred. I deserve hers too. I'm not going to claim to be any kind of worthy man, son… You and your brother were gifts I didn't deserve. And your mother? I was insane to think I was ever worthy of her in the first place… But I tried to do right by you, I really did. And I tried to do right by Harvey and I tried… I tried to make everything okay again… I tried to make it all right… I tried so hard… And I still wasn't good enough, and Harvey paid the price and I wish that he hadn't, but he did… I wish I could fix everything… I wish I could fix the world, but I can't even fix _myself_ … Or my relationship with you… I know you hate me, I know the bonds we once had are in shambles now, I know I may never gain back your love and respect, I know it's my fault… And all I can do is say I'm sorry… It's too little too late, but I am so, so, so sorry… I'm sorry I'm not the man you once looked up to and loved. I'm sorry I came back so wrong. I'm sorry I returned to you a stranger possessing the body of a man you once loved… The reality is your father died on that battlefield a long time ago… I wish that I could bring him back, save him and send him home to you, but I can't… I don't know if I'll ever be able to again…"

Sam, inside, listened in silence and wept. _Sobbed_. He just wanted him to go away… He just wanted his dad back… He heard a sigh. He heard the man slide down against his bedroom door and hoped Sebastian would come and kick him out. That man wearing his father's face had said his piece. Sam was through listening to him now… And then the man began to sing a song softly to him and Sam broke down, unable to keep his sobs quiet anymore as he listened. He remembered that song from his childhood… He remembered it so well… He rocked back and forth, holding himself tightly and praying to a god he wasn't entirely sure he believed in anymore that he could go back in time to when everything was okay again.

"I love you, Sam," the man gently said through the door at the close of the song. Then he rose and Sam listened to him walk away. He wondered briefly—very, _very_ briefly—if Shane would be interested in a suicide pact, because right now dying seemed a lot less painful and difficult than living… And then he imagined how much worse his father felt that feeling… It terrified him more than it had any right to…

A radio broadcast sounded out quietly in the background:

 _"_ _A Gotoran spy who escaped military custody and led the authorities on a city-wide manhunt has been killed as he attempted to escape through the sewers. As of yet no body has been recovered, but teams have been dispatched to retrieve his remains as soon as possible."_

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry for the delay in this chapter. My motivation for Stardew comes and goes, and even though I actually had this chapter planned out, getting from point A to B to C etc took me a long time to figure out. I'm hoping the next chapter won't give me the same problems this one did. I'm not entirely thrilled with how this one came out until later in the chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Thank you all for you support of this story.


	13. Third Winter - Part 1

**Winter - Part 1**

The town was in mourning, everything so silent and solemn like everyone was just going through the motions. It hadn't taken long to determine who it was the authorities had shot while escaping. No further news had come to them about the body search. Lewis had petitioned for the remains to be sent back to Pellican Town and it had been agreed to, but no remains had come which meant they still hadn't found a body. Which meant it might have been washed out into the ocean, and if that was the case there may not end up being anything to send back.

Maru had wept upon hearing the broadcast the first time, broken down sobbing. Sebastian had heard her scream from his apartment and raced to find her only to discover her collapsed to the floor on her knees in grief. He'd gone right to her, holding her tightly against himself as she mourned. Abigail had called Robin and Demetrius to come to support their daughter and they'd arrived in minutes. It had been hard. It was hard on the whole town, but on Maru most of all.

 _Vincent and Jaz, gone. Harvey, gone. Kent, gone. Sam, gone…_

They were all of course gone in different senses of the world, but the grief was still the same. Mostly. The town was dull and listless… Broken… Caroline couldn't bear to see it, anguish in her eyes as she watched her friends, the people she loved, moving like it was force of habit alone that kept them going. She would do anything, give _anything_ , to make it better again… But she didn't know how…

She found herself doing what she hadn't done in years now. Picking her way through Cindersnap Forest heading towards the wizard's tower. It had been years… She couldn't fix this, but maybe _he_ could… As she picked her way along, she saw a woman by the lake humming happily. Not Leah, but another. The farmhand, she realized. The one whose name she didn't know. Had she ever introduced herself, Caroline wondered? Nevertheless, the happy humming was a welcome change from how things were everywhere else. She found herself forgetting about the wizard's tower in favor of approaching the woman. "Good morning," she cheerily said. It was forced cheery, yes, but hopefully the woman wouldn't pick up on that.

The woman turned curiously and smiled. "Oh, Caroline, good morning!" she chirped happily. "What's on your mind?"

"It's just… nice to hear a happy whistle again," Caroline replied ruefully. "This isn't a very happy time for Pellican Town, I'm afraid."

"I've noticed," the woman replied, sounding sympathetic.

"How is it you've kept so positive through all of this? You've got to teach me your secrets. Maybe I can help others to feel happier again too," Caroline said, grinning sadly.

"You'd do anything to fix everything, wouldn't you?" the woman sympathetically asked. "I know the feeling." One of the first true things she'd ever said here, the witch noted to herself in a measure of disgust.

"I would," Caroline replied. "But I can't… The Elf King has long vanished, abandoning the valley, Harvey is dead, Sam is too broken to heal it seems, and Kent is suffering more than anyone here could ever hope to understand, I think. And now there's no Harvey to help him."

"You could try and find some standing stones. Maybe the elf king will hear you again," the woman offered.

"I don't think he'll hear any of us again," Caroline answered ruefully, shaking her head.

The woman was quiet, thinking. "You know… I read something in one of his books that was fairly interesting. Something that might make this all better," she said. "But it delves into risky dealings I must warn you."

"Something in his books? What was it?" Caroline asked, perking up a little and seeming hopeful.

"Well, there's legend about three mystical shrines; The Dark Shrine of Memory, the Dark Shrine of… Restoration, and the Dark Shrine of Night Terrors. Give these shrines gifts, and each one will do something for you in return. Maybe, just maybe, one of them can fix what's happened to your beautiful little town…" she hinted.

Caroline looked intrigued. "Do you think?" she asked. "Does the book say what each shrine does?"

"No, but it states the gifts they take and where they might be found," the woman replied. "For the Shrine of Memory you must pay thirty-thousand gold. For the Shrine of Restoration you must offer a prismatic shard. For the Shrine of Night Terrors you must give a strange bun, oddly enough."

"It sounds like either the Shrine of Memory or the Shrine of Restoration would be the one we wanted. I can't see it being the Shrine of Night Terrors," Caroline mused. "Where did the book say these Shrines would be?"

"In an abandoned hut in the swamp," the woman replied.

Caroline frowned in concern. "I… was warned never to go there once. By someone," she said.

"Who?" the farmhand asked, though in truth she knew the bitter answer all too well.

"He… he was a wizard," Caroline replied. "He told me something lived there that was powerful and dangerous, and that to go there would cost me my life."

"Whatever it was, it might be gone by now, you know," the farmhand replied. Caroline shifted. "You said you would give anything to restore things to the way they were. Aren't the benefits that would come of it worth the risk? I could come with you, you know. Then you wouldn't be going alone." Caroline was quiet, undecided. "You may not have another chance," the woman said. "Think of it. Vincent and Jas back, playing in the forest and on the beach and in the park. Harvey alive and well, working away in his little clinic with no one remembering a single thing about spies and betrayals. Kent back to the way he once was, the father his children remember... Maybe we can get him to do it too just to be double sure the shrine, whichever one it is, works. My bet would be on Restoration shrine, as the gift we're looking for is a way to restore everything to how it was. And Sam, back to his happy-go-lucky self, no worries or cares in the world. Everything could be right again. Just a single gift, a single shard… The elf king stored them, you know. I know where."

Caroline was quiet, lips parted slightly and tears threatening her eyes. If there was a chance… She looked towards the wizard's tower uncertainly, then back to the woman again. "Alright," she relented. "I'll do it."

The woman smiled a knowing smile. "Alright. Go on your way home, then. I'll fetch the shards from the elf king's stash. Tomorrow I'll attempt to bring Kent into this as well, and tomorrow night we act. All three of us." Caroline resolved herself, set her jaw, and nodded firmly, turning and heading quickly and immediately back towards town. The farmhand smirked cruelly and chuckled a dark chuckle, turning and walking back towards the elf king's garden.

Stardew

Pierre looked up when the door to his shop opened. Caroline came in looking quite happy, which was odd considering he hadn't seen her happy for too long now, since… since all of this started happening… "Caroline, is everything okay?" he asked, somewhat concerned about how thrilled she appeared. Had she snapped? No, that was a ridiculous thought.

"No, my love," she replied, swooping over to him and taking his hands in hers. "But it will be," she added, grinning happily as if suddenly the world was at peace again.

"What? What do you mean, honey?" he asked with a chuckle, smiling back at her although he felt a little concerned.

"Nothing, dear. I just have a feeling that everything is going to be good again soon," Caroline replied, pulling away from him to go into the livable part of their house. Pierre watched after her in a measure of concern. That was almost suspiciously optimistic. Who had she been talking to, he wondered uneasily? Ugh, if whoever it was, was giving her false hopes, he'd punch them out like he did that dirtbag Morris.

 _Rasmodius dreamt that night. Of Caroline, smiling and happy Caroline, and of Abigail… And of the witch and of doves… He jerked awake with a sharp gasp of fear and blinked a few times, stunned. He wasn't sure why that dream had frightened him so badly, but it didn't sit well with him. Something in his subconscious insisted to him something was very, very wrong, and he couldn't shake that feeling. He sat up, disturbed, and went towards his library to see if he could figure out why such a dream had bothered him so much._

Stardew

The witch knew she had to act fast. Kent, fortunately, wouldn't be difficult to sway. The man wanted nothing more than to be the man he had once been. The man Jodi had fallen in love with, the man his children had loved and adored and felt comfortable around… He trusted her, and if she offered him this sort of a deal there was no way he could ever hope to refuse it. But she sensed the wizard had felt something was off. Which meant Rasmodius would be looking into it and had probably been browsing his library most of last night. Which meant she had a very narrow window of time to put this all into play.

She found Kent on the beach staring out over the ocean woefully. "Have you heard anything about Harvey?" she asked innocently.

"No," Kent replied. He wasn't inclined to elaborate further.

"How's Sam?" she asked. Kent was silent. "That bad?" she asked. Silence again. She paused a moment to give the illusion of hesitation. "I… found a book. A book of shrines. I read something interesting inside. Something that… that might help you to get back to what you once were again. Something that could turn you from a stranger back into a husband and father…"

Kent glanced over at her. "BS," he finally said.

"It was in the elven king's library," she said.

He was quiet. "What… what did it say…?" he finally asked. She gave him the exact same explanation she'd given to Caroline. He, of course, didn't respond at the close of the explanation. Which meant she'd have to push just a little harder.

"It will give you back your life, Kent. Give you back your wife, give you back your son, and when you're all okay again the elf king will bring back Vincent too. You can be a family once more. This is hope, friend. Hope in the darkest period of Pellican Town's history. You can have your son back. Both of them. You won't be a stranger anymore…" she finished. And if that wasn't enough to convince him, she could always bring up the doctor.

Kent was silent. "You said you have the prismatic shards," he finally remarked.

She nodded. "Caroline and I could use a third party to join us in traipsing through that place anyway. Who better than a war veteran?" she asked.

He was quiet, grinding his jaw. "I'll… I'll do it," he finally said.

She smiled and said, "Meet me and Caroline tonight by the bathhouse." He nodded an assent and she left, him watching after her before turning back to the ocean, feeling an inkling of hope starting to creep up. Maybe, though, he should discuss this with Jodi first. No more secrets from her, he promised himself. No more.

Stardew

Jodi looked overwhelmed when her husband told her about this possible chance to get Vince back. It seemed she wasn't sure _what_ to think. She was torn between being hopeful and skeptical. "Do you realize how insane this sounds?" she finally asked.

"Yes. But it's a chance," Kent replied. "A chance to fix everything. Not just Vincent and Jas, Jodi, but our family. And Harvey." At least if Caroline's enthusing was anything to go by. She'd sought him out immediately upon being informed by the farmhand that he was in. She'd filled him in on everything else this opportunity might do for them, and if he hadn't been sold before, he was certainly sold afterwards.

"And if it doesn't work?" she asked.

"I don't know," Kent replied. He wouldn't say 'what's the worst that could happen', because rule number one was to never assume you knew what the worst even was, let alone whether or not it would happen. "We deal with it."

Jodi was quiet. "I don't… I'm not sure what to think about this," she said. She looked up at him. "Let me go with you. Just in case. If something goes wrong… I don't want to lose you too, Kent."

"I won't stop you," he replied, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "We'll do this together. No more going at it alone, Jo. I promise."

She nodded, nuzzling him gently. "Then I guess we should get ready to go," she said, smiling weakly. "It'll be an adventure." He kissed her forehead softly and nodded, squeezing her hands and standing up to prepare an emergency bag. Jodi rubbed her arms uncertainly. This seemed almost too good to be true. She knew better than to trust that feeling.

Stardew

To say Pierre was distracted was the understatement of the century. He agitatedly drummed a pencil on the counter, fidgeting and looking generally uncomfortable. An ominous feeling pricked incessantly at him screaming that something was wrong, but he couldn't imagine what. By Yoba, he hadn't felt this level of anxiety since he didn't even know when. And this foreboding feeling inside of him… He hadn't felt a sensation like it since Abby had been a little girl and gone suddenly quiet. Caroline had told him Abby was probably napping, their girl had been tired, but he couldn't shake the unease and when he went to check it out, he found her almost strangled on her curtain lines. Those curtains had disappeared in record time and curtain ropes hadn't been a feature in this household ever since. He'd been damn certain of that.

He frowned and picked up a phone, dialling his daughter's—Caroline's daughter's, but even if Abby wasn't his by blood like he suspected, she was still his daughter to him!—number. He waited two rings. On the third she picked up. "Hi daddy," she greeted cheerily.

"Hi sweetheart. Everything okay?" he asked.

"It's fine," Abby replied. "Things are kind of depressing around here given Sam's family drama, and it's sort of really hard to deal with and watch, especially for Sebby, but I mean, he can't mope forever, right? Can he?"

"I wish I could answer that for you, sweetie," Pierre replied. "Are you sure everything's okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, dad, I'm fine," Abby replied. "Why?"

"Nothing, just… jumpy I guess," Pierre replied. "Not sure why."

"You should take a break, dad. Maybe you're working too hard," Abby replied.

"Maybe," he agreed.

"Maybe you should hang up and do that now?" Abby said.

Pierre sighed. "Alright. You win. Goodbye honey," he said.

"Bye daddy," Abby replied, hanging up. Pierre frowned in concern and hung up as well.

"Pierre, I'm going out for a walk for a bit," Caroline said, coming out of the back.

"So late?" Pierre asked, frowning a bit at this. The last time she was taking evening walks, she'd been slinking off to that tool wizard's stupid tower. Freaking magic man. She could play innocent all she wanted, he knew _damn_ well what those two had been up to there.

"I'll be back in a little while," Caroline replied, going to him and kissing him gently.

"Are you going to _him_?" Pierre bitterly demanded. Caroline's smile fell, and she paled a bit. She was silent, staring at him for a beat. "You honestly thought I was that blind, didn't you Carol?"

She frowned. "I'm not going to him," she said. "I stopped going there when you asked me to, I promise you I did. I had been wanting to call it off even before! I didn't… I didn't want to hurt you like that anymore!"

"Was that the reason you really stopped, Carol? Or was it because you found out you were pregnant with his child and didn't want me to know?" Pierre demanded.

She was silent, eyes blazing furiously at him. Turning, she marched away without answering. Pierre didn't even care. Let her wander off in her little tiff, damn her. Dammit, if she was going back to him… Screw him! He growled in his throat and stormed out from behind the counter, marching from the shop and slamming the door shut behind him, locking it and putting up the 'Closed' sign. He stormed towards Cindersnap forest. If she was going there again, he wanted to damn well know! And he intended fully to confront that stupid wizard this time instead of pretending he didn't know what was going on like a coward. Maybe he'd walk in on them together. Maybe he'd reach the freak show before her. That would be best, he decided. Then he could make it clear 'Rasmodius' wasn't fooling anyone!

Stardew

Rasmodius was pouring over the latest book he'd pulled out, bags under his eyes. He was near exhausted. He grimaced, rubbing his eyes, and looked at the book again. Just then he heard loud, angry pounding at his door and quickly turned, blinking. That was… unusual. The pounding sounded again, louder and angrier this time. He frowned and approached said door with caution. "Rasmodius, open the fu… freaking door!" a man's voice furiously shouted. Rasmodius froze, eyes widening. Oh no. Pierre. He stayed rooted to the spot. "Open the door!" Pierre shouted, kicking it violently.

Rasmodius winced and hurried to it, pulling it open and looking guardedly at the shorter man, though certainly not shorter by a significant enough amount to matter if things got physical. Pierre was built sturdier than him besides, with a lot more muscle. In a physical matchup, he knew full well he came out the loser. "Can I help you?" the wizard icily greeted.

"If Caroline is here, you piece of sh…" Pierre began. Rasmodius zapped up a mouth cover. Pierre started, scowled, and ripped it off, eyes furious. "If she's here or coming here, you're a dead man! You stay away from my wife you freak!"

Rasmodius started in surprise. "What? Pierre, I haven't seen Caroline for two decades now, say for passing glimpses of her in the woods! She left to go back to _you_!" he replied. He supposed there wasn't even a point in denying it at this point. It seemed Pierre had always known after all. He'd suspected as much, but he hadn't thought too much on it when no cuckholded husband had stormed up to his door demanding retribution. "Why do you think she came here?"

"Because she went to take a 'little walk around town' not even a half hour ago?" Pierre sarcastically sneered. He paused, though, suddenly realizing what that meant. "Wait. If she isn't rendezvousing with you, where _did_ she go?"

The wizard was silent. "She left?" he asked.

"Yes," Pierre replied, a bit uncertain now. "Which isn't at all in character for her."

"Well did she _say_ anything?!" Rasmodius demanded.

"No! If she had, I wouldn't be on your doorstep figuring she'd started to miss that magic di…" Pierre began. A covering on his mouth again. He looked vaguely annoyed and peeled if off again with a disgusted expression. He sighed, willing himself to cool down, and thought. He hesitated, shifting, then said, "She came home strangely happy yesterday."

"Strangely happy?" Rasmodius asked. "She's always been a happy, optimistic woman as far as I knew."

"Not since… since everything went to pot in town…" Pierre replied, glancing away a bit sadly. He turned back. "But then yesterday she came back spouting something about how soon everything was going to be okay again. I figured she'd been talking to someone giving her false hope, decided if I ever figured out who that was I'd punch them in the face for doing that to her, then went about my business."

Rasmodius was quiet. There was realization in his eyes now. And fear. Pierre frowned. "Rasmodius?" he asked wariliy.

"Oh no," Rasmodius whispered. He turned, striding quickly back inside his tower and heading for his library. Pierre stood outside a bit awkwardly, then decided to brave stepping into the lair of the beast. He cautiously looked around as he followed the wizard, his steps tentative. Rasmodius was scanning his books. "Has she been talking to someone out of the ordinary?" he demanded.

"Not that I'm aware of. Except whoever told her everything was going to be okay again, but I have no clue who that was. Maybe the farmhand?" Pierre replied.

Rasmodius shouted a curse that made Pierre jump a bit, blinking rapidly in surprise. That was unexpected language from the wizard. "Wh-what's going on?" Pierre asked, uneasy now. "What do you think is going on?" The wizard pulled out a book, reading through it, and gave a cry of dismay, hand shooting to his head in alarm as he clutched his hair in terror. Pierre started. "Rasmodius, what's happening?!" he demanded of the now deathly pale man who looked like he'd just experienced the most horrifying thing he'd ever experienced in his life. The wizard was starting to shiver. "Rasmodius!" Pierre shouted angrily and agitatedly.

Rasmodius looked at him, pale as a ghost, and suddenly that dark, foreboding feeling was back full force, twisting Pierre's gut like a rope. "Abigail," the wizard whispered in horror. Pierre went ghostly pale. Suddenly the wizard bolted. Pierre didn't waste time asking questions, just followed blindly. Why had he said Abigail's name? Why had he sounded so horrified? He didn't even want to know, he just knew that whatever the reason for it, this couldn't be good, and now every part of him was screaming at him to find his daughter! _Their_ daughter, he inwardly corrected.

Stardew

Abigail was trying to figure out this cooking game she'd started getting into now that she and Sebastian were on their own. Kind of. Their parents were just a phone call or short walk away so they could get tips from them about cooking at any time, but still! The door was suddenly knocked frantically on. "Abby! Abigail, open up!" she heard her father call frantically.

She gasped, looking over and forgetting the food. She shut off the burner then ran to respond to the cry, pulling open the door quickly. "Daddy?" she asked. "What's wrong? Is mom okay?"

"Are you okay?!" Pierre demanded, taking her arms.

Abby opened her mouth to answer then paused, slamming it shut upon seeing the wizard standing behind her father looking anxious and just as panicked, albeit in a more reserved and less expressive way. The man was wringing his hands together nervously, scanning her over for any injury. She could only stare in silence. She'd… had suspicions about him in the past… They'd begun when she was a teenager and had started to realize just how unlike her father she actually looked… She'd tried once to press mom about it. Mom had gotten quiet, for a moment she'd looked like a deer in headlights, but then she'd recovered, smiling, and spouted something about _her_ genes being more dominant than Pierre's… Then she'd found her mom's old diaries… They'd given her answers… Not all of them, but enough for her to puzzle together that… that her father probably wasn't her father, and that her actual father was someone wholly unexpected until that moment…

"Why is he here?" she asked quietly, staring at the wizard. Rasmodius was his name. She'd crossed him often as a little girl, when she'd gone to play in the woods… He would sometimes appear to watch over her, and sometimes he would play little games with her... The man looked away a bit painfully, closing his eyes.

Pierre looked back at Rasmodius, then to Abigail again. "Are you okay?" he repeated.

"Yes?" she more questioned than stated.

"Have you seen your mother?" Pierre asked.

"She dropped by a few minutes ago. She wanted to see Sam. She, um, she told him not to worry. That soon everything would be alright again. I told her off for telling him something like that so soon. She just smiled mysteriously at me and apologized and told me she was going to go for a walk before bed. She said she was going up to the train station."

Rasmodius blanched. "Oh good Yoba!" he exclaimed in horror, turning tail and racing away. Pierre just reacted, bolting after him.

Abigail, flabbergasted, snapped out of her shock. "W-wait, dad! Dad, wait!" she shouted, racing out after him.

"Abby?!" she heard Sebastian call. She looked back. He was racing from the apartment after her.

"Something's happening Sebby! I'm going after my dad!" she called back. Sebastian started. Not about to be left behind if something bad was going on, he took off after her.

"Tell me what's going on!" Pierre pled frantically, coming alongside the wizard. He knew their daughter and son-in-law were close behind, maybe within hearing range, but he didn't care. He wanted answers!

"She's going to the swamp! The witch's swamp!" Rasmodius said.

"The what?!" Pierre demanded.

"She's been lied to, Pierre. She's about to do something horrible! We have to stop her before it's too late!" Rasmodius replied. "In the swamp there are three wicked shrines; the Shrine of Night Terrors, the Shrine of Memory, and the Shrine of Selfishness. The witch, that wicked woman… She despises me! She wants for nothing more than to cause me pain by hurting the ones I love most! She's lied to your wife! She's offered her a solution to the sadness plaguing this valley, but what she'll give instead is more. Anguish untold! The Shrine of Selfishness… It takes your children away from you forever!" Pierre went white, gasping. Abby! Caroline was going there hoping to save the valley, but instead she was going to lose her daughter! "Caroline! Don't!" he screamed as loudly as he could, hoping against hope she would hear him. If they weren't running full-speed before, they were now.

Stardew

Caroline, Jodi, and Kent looked around uneasily at the swamp, unsettled by the location. The farmhand went onward like nothing at all was wrong. "I don't like this," Jodi whispered softly to Kent. He was quiet, holding her hand firmly. He didn't either. They approached a hut sitting in the middle of the place totally unguarded. The farmhand cautiously pushed open the door, looking around, then turned to them. "It's clear," she said, beckoning for them to follow and entering.

"This place is horrible," Caroline said, looking nervously around. It gave her the creeps. Kent entered the hut first. Jodi followed him, then a hesitant Caroline who was feeling more and more like this was a very, very bad idea. The three stopped, gasping as their eyes fell on the three shrines standing ominously in the room, the farmhand in the middle.

The farmhand turned to them. "I have the shards," she whispered, withdrawing two. For a moment no one moved, but soon Caroline approached, taking one of them. Kent followed cautiously after her.

"How can we know which shrine is the Shrine of Restoration?" Jodi asked.

The farmhand pulled out a book, flipping through. "It's this one," she soon said, approaching one of the shrines.

"Oddly comprehensive book," Kent gruffly said, getting antsy about this place.

"Written by a scholar," the farmhand replied, examining it. "So… who wants to go first?" Neither Kent nor Caroline looked inclined to volunteer. The farmhand frowned. "Will someone please man up?" she bit at them. "Nothing's going to get done if no one feeds the shrine. Pelican Town will just… stay like it is now. Do _any_ of you really want that?"

It was Jodi, surprisingly, who finally moved to act. She took the shard from her husband's hand and approached the shrine, looking it warily over. What was the worst that could happen, after all?

 _The hut was in sight. They were almost there…_

Jodi took a breath. Finally, she lay the shard down. The shrine took it within itself with a rumble and Jodi gasped, stepping back in concern.

 _Sam, sitting in his room, felt a tingling sensation and frowned a bit. He felt strange. What was happening to him…? He suddenly let out a sharp gasp and gave a cry… And t_ _hen there was only weightlessness and soothing winds and astounding views…_

"See? Nothing bad happened," the farmhand said, smirking darkly. Caroline was quiet. Finally she approached the shrine too and held the shard over it. "Let it go, Caroline. And all your problems will just… fly away," the farmhand said. Caroline took a deep breath then let the shard go. It seemed to fall through the air in slow motion.

"Caroline, no!" frantic voices cried out as the door as thrown open. She gasped, turning quickly with eyes wide, and paled. Standing there were Pierre and Rasmodius!

"Pierre, Ra-Rasmodius…" she breathed in shock.

"No!" Rasmodius screamed in anguish and alarm, casting a spell to try and stop the shrine from taking the shard… But it was too late… His heart stopped, his eyes wide in horror.

"No… No, no, no, Caroline! Caroline no!" Pierre numbly said, holding his head in his hands and shaking it.

"Dad, mom!" Abigail's voice cried out. They gasped, turning. There in the doorway appeared Abigail. She stopped on seeing them. "Dad, mom?" she asked, unsure of what was going on here. "What…" she began. She suddenly stopped, a light feeling coming over her. She wavered a bit with a little gasp, hand going to her head. A light began to glow around her body.

"Abigail!" Rasmodius screamed in terror, racing to her desperately. Pierre followed. "No, don't go! Don't go!" the wizard pled, catching her hand frantically. He was weeping, Abigail realized in shock. But-but why?

"Abby!" Sebastian cried out in fear.

"Abigail!" Caroline shrieked, mortified. But why? Why were they acting like this, Abigail wondered in concern? What was wrong? Why did they look suddenly so much lower than her?

"Please! Please, Baba, stop this! Stop it! You win! I surrender to you everything and anything you want, just stop this!" the wizard begged, struggling to hold on and trying to cancel out the magic.

"Abby!" Pierre cried out, reaching out to catch her other hand along with Caroline in a desperate attempt to hold her back.

"Abigail!" Sebastian cried out, leaping up for her and catching her around the waist in tears, clinging desperately to her. She looked down at him in fear and uncertainty. She didn't understand what was happening. What was-was happening…?

A gasp left her mouth, her head tossing backwards, and then her parents and husband were all on the ground staring up and then… then there was weightlessness and lulling wind and such beautiful sights far below… From up here the eerie swamp didn't seem so eerie anymore… She heard anguished screams of a name she felt like she should recognize but didn't, and not once did she look back...

 _The elf king stared in utter silence up at the beautiful little bird flitting away in the wind, cooing its innocence and diving and swooping with the breezes before disappearing high in the sky. The little girl on her knees in front of him sobbed her eyes out. She feared she had done something bad that had done this to her friend and taken him away._

 _She had done no ill, but_ _ **someone**_ _had…_ _And he would stand idly by no more…_

 _This slight against nature, this-this **desecration** … It would by __**no**_ _means be tolerated…_

Stardew

If it were possible to die of a broken heart, Caroline would soon do so. She lay in her bed unmoving, Ill with no sign of recovery in sight… She only became worse and worse… That day in the swamp she collapsed in her grief and hadn't woken since… Pierre felt in his heart like she never would, and all he could do was watch her slowly fade away. He and Rasmodius had taken turns carrying her to the wizard's tower where they had lain her. And that was all they could do.

 _She seemed almost like a princess in a fairy-tale, lying so cold and still and beautiful…_

Pierre's shop was closed indefinitely, and the tower became his home. He refused to leave his dying wife. The wizard didn't begrudge him it in the slightest. Kent and Jodi had raced blindly back to the town in a panic, terrified for their son. Sebastian had gone with them. There was no Sam to be found. Only a single dove's feather resting on his bed…

 _They had heard Jodi's anguished scream all the way from the tower…_

 _The town died that day…_

Kent toyed with death. Often he could be found swinging a pistol back and forth between his fingers. Jodi began to drink. Heavily. Most of her time she spend passed out now... They'd speculated double suicide…

The broken Sebastian moved back home, shut himself away in the basement, and left only to use the bathroom. He never ate, he never slept. He drank only to appease his begging sister who pled in tears for him not to go or to leave her like Harvey had… But he wouldn't stay long, he decided. Eventually starvation or sleep deprivation would take him. He didn't care at this point. He just didn't care… She was gone, and Sam was gone, and he was done. He was just done.

No words were spoken between the townspeople except when there was necessity for it. Necessity boiled down to telling someone the price of something and offering little more. Grief was drowning it slowly. All of them.

 _The valley would never live again…_

Stardew

Shane watched in silence as the tearful Emily went through the motions of the day-to-day. Get up, work on her designs, go to the saloon to serve drinks, get the night done and go home. She moved around the bar listlessly. It seemed she always cried now… He hated it… It didn't suit Emily… She offered brave smiles, she offered encouraging words to the broken Jodi and all the other broken fools who staggered in, she offered everything she could find it within herself to offer, and she was drowning. She was drowning just like the rest of them. Hope was dead, joy was dead, there was nothing to celebrate anymore, there was everything to mourn. She let everyone else share their pain with her… But she shared hers with no one…

He sat still as she walked passed him, heading to the storage room and sniffing, wiping her eyes after a particularly depressing conversation with Jodi had ended, and Jodi had gone to stagger home. He didn't move. Finally he took his drink, finishing it, and rose, pursuing Emily quietly. He followed her into the storage room and watched her as she tried to gather together the stock she needed while valiantly attempting not to cry. She failed, of course, and a sob escaped her lips. She covered her mouth, closing her eyes tight.

He moved towards her, silent as a ghost. She gasped when she felt his presence, his hand slipping around hers. She turned to him quickly, lips parted and eyes wide and brimming with tears. Upon realizing it was him, her fear melted away and she stared up at him, anguish in her eyes that didn't belong there. He scanned her quietly then pressed his lips against hers. He half expected her to shove him off. Instead her mouth quivered and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him for all she was worth like he was her last lifeline. How had _he_ suddenly become the town's least depressed person, he dryly wondered to himself as her lips danced against his in longing and as her fingers gripped onto him tightly, alternating between loosening and digging in.

They just went with it, honestly. They didn't think about it. She wanted his touch and comfort, he wanted to be her pillar of strength. She'd been his enough times, now it was his turn. Why should she have to carry the weight of the world alone? It just happened as it happened. Her hands found their way beneath his jacket and she pushed it off him before pushing her hands beneath his shirt, desperate it seemed for skin to skin contact. They both realized where it was going. Neither of them cared. His shirt was the next thing to go before he pulled her close and worked on getting her out of that dress of hers as quickly as she would allow. Then he was bare, and she was bare, and they were up against the wall, and the kiss had escalated into a dizzying affair and oh she _definitely_ was big on skin to skin contact, and then there were soft and breathy gasps and whispers and sounds. There were soft cries and mewls and moans, and light panting and nails digging into his shoulder blades and tears not of grief but of gratitude wetting his skin that he wished would disappear and never, ever make an appearance in her eyes again.

He felt briefly guilty, to be fair. Guilt that they were doing this now, guilt that it had taken something like _this_ to bring it about, guilt because he knew how much Clint loved Emily and knew that if he found out about this it would destroy him, but Shane wasn't about to let her go because Clint loved her. Clint had had his freaking chance, and now it was his. Guilt was erased from his mind when the wall became the floor and her legs and arms were wrapped so tightly around him it was almost painful, and when the warmth of her body and the feel of it squirming beneath his own struck him full force, and when her kisses became short and frantic and sweet and desperate, a silent plea for him to keep on when she thought he might be slowing it down. Which he definitely, definitely wasn't. And he made that very clear to her very quickly to put her mind at ease.

It ended with them tangled together on the floor clinging to one another like they were each others' last tethers to something good and worthwhile, her panting softly against his chest and him burying his face in her hair holding her tight. It ended with a sudden and unexpected whispered marriage proposal too long in the making, a breathless yes, and just like that they became perhaps the last beacon of light and hope in this bleak, miserable, dying land…

The wedding was somber, but joy could for a little while be felt permeating the air, even if only a little bit. Even Sebastian had dragged himself out of his basement to be here for it, and Pierre and Rasmodius, and that was so, so good. Only Caroline didn't come, still in what could only be described as a grief-induced-coma… Dying of a broken heart… Shane hadn't believed it possible until now. He pushed the thought aside. He wanted to feel only joy in his own heart now. Well, as much as could be expected. They kissed, long and tender and adoring.

 _This time Emily's tears were tears of happiness…_

 _For the first time in a long time everyone's tears were…_

 _They had become a sliver of hope and light in a world of despair and darkness…_

Stardew

The elf king observed the wedding in utter silence from his hiding place upon the cliffs overlooking the town square. A small ray of light in an otherwise darkened world. He had not expected it to come from the likes of Shane and Emily. Thunder rumbled in the distance, quiet and somehow comforting. The wedding slowly dispersed, the groom leading his bride along the road towards the ranch. He scanned the square and saw the bride's sister in conversation with her young man, her favorite. He was asking something of her. Her response was to throw herself into his arms, kissing him adoringly. His elven hearing picked out the term 'spring wedding'... He would be sure the wedding would be nothing short of a celebration, he determined. They would not have to be a second beacon of light in darkness because there would be no more darkness… He could not shun this place any longer… It was not in his heart to be able to… Now there was much work to be done to right the wrongs. He had best be started.


	14. Third Winter - Part 2

**Winter - Part 2**

 _"It was not your fault, dear lady. You could not have known her deceits."_

 _"She's dead… My baby is dead… And Sam and Vincent are dead because of me. Because I was such a fool."_

 _"They are not dead. Nor will they be gone from you forever."_

 _An image of a wooden cage. Within it sat three beautiful doves, two large and one only very small, preening themselves and cooing in contentment. One looked up at her and cooed softly towards her. She sobbed in grief. She knew in her heart who it was._

 _"Abigail," she whispered, reaching out towards it in grief._

 _"You must awaken. All is not lost. Your husband pleads for you to come back, weeps for you, clings to you with every fiber of his soul… He will die as well should you die… The wizard too may follow you to your grave. Doom them not to such a fate. Give them hope once again where they feel none. Give them a reason to live on… And trust in me, lady. You will see your daughter again and hold her in your arms once more. I **will** not permit this witch's desecration…"_

Stardew

 _"Take not your own lives. Do you both surrender so easily to fate?"_

 _"There's nothing to live for anymore… In this my wife and I are in agreement."_

 _"Is this so, my lady Jodi?"_

 _"Yes... I want to die..."_

 _"Then what will your children come home to?"_

 _"My children are dead!"_

 _"They are not."_

 _"Don't lie to her, fae, or to me! They're gone! They're not coming back!"_

 _"Weak willed mortals! ...But then I suppose that should come as no surprise."_

 _"Get out of our heads! Get out!"_

 _"You will do well to watch your words, soldier."_

 _"Our children are dead…"_

 _"So broken, lady. So easily given up on hope. Do you think that I will allow this slight against me? Your child was under my protection. She stole him away, but she will not keep him. Not he nor his brother nor your dearest friend's daughter. Away they flew, carried on the wind. To the forest they came. To_ _ **me**_ _they came… She hunted and found them, but I will have them in my custody again... Be there when they come back, I warn you."_

Stardew

 _"Drink, mortal, and eat, and be at rest in your heart. You came here into my forest seeking death, but I will not allow you death."_

In a daze, almost as if commanded, he obeyed the words. He drank from the goblet pressed against his lips and ate from the fruits and vegetables placed gently into his mouth by fairies flitting all around. He couldn't protest. Strangely the desire to do so wasn't even in him. The vines ensnared him not painfully, but firmly and gently and soothingly. They stopped.

"Let me die," he pled in a whisper.

 _"I will not show you death."_

The elf king approached. In his hands he held something so tenderly and gently. He lay it gently on the bed of leaves his captive rested in. His captive looked weakly over at it. A sleeping dove curled up comfortably, breathing steady and even. The young man's heart clenched painfully in his chest as his eye fixed on the slumbering bird.

"Abby…" he whispered weakly.

 _"All will be well again, mortal. All will be well again… And here you will rest and be tended until it is as I have said."_

As the illusion of the dove shimmered and shattered, breaking his heart anew, he felt himself drift off to sleep helpless to keep it from coming upon him.

 _"Very soon it will be real..."_

Stardew

As the snow fell softly in the dark, a figure approached the apartment buildings silently…

Maru was cooking listlessly, grief in her eyes. Sebastian had been missing for days. Her brother was dead… She couldn't think of any reason he wouldn't be. The way he'd been feeling, the tendencies coming back, the disappearance… How could he be anything but dead…? She felt like he was still alive and maybe that was why she wasn't grieving as much as she though she would have, but soon enough denial would disappear… It certainly would when the body was found… Then her grief would be open and great... She let out a shaky breath, closing her eyes and swallowing painfully. Mom was destitute. Dad had just been silent, hard to read. She'd left without a word. They'd tried to call her back, but she hadn't gone back. She'd just wanted to be alone… Now days later she still hadn't gone back, and she knew she should but she just couldn't deal with that kind of pain right now. She could barely deal with her own… First Harvey and now Sebastian… She felt tears escaping and sniffed, wiping them away and letting out a shaking breath, feeling on the verge of breaking down.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. She sniffed, wiping her eyes to try and hide the fact she'd been crying—good luck with that she wryly noted to herself—and went to answer. She pulled open her door—it led outside as most of the apartments were ground floor right now—and frowned upon seeing no one there. She looked around curiously, trying to see who might have come. She looked down and gasped, covering her mouth. There in the snow lay a beautiful blue necklace. A mermaid pendant, she realized. She knelt on her knees and scooped it up in shock and confusion and hurt.

 _Harvey…?_

Fresh tears burned in her eyes. She couldn't hold them back anymore. She clutched the pendant against her chest and let her tears flow freely in her grief and pain. She looked up sniffing, scanning longingly for him hoping to catch even the faintest glimpse. Just so she could prove to herself he wasn't gone, just to prove to herself this wasn't some cruel prank or someone trying to make her feel better… But there was nothing…

The figure watched from out of sight, pain and regret reflected in its whole essence. It watched silently until finally the young woman rose and went inside once more. Then he turned and started quietly towards the train station where a train could be heard tooting its horn…

Stardew

 _The sewers were dark and cold and seemed endless. The footsteps drew ever nearer. Then men came from another direction, and he was forced down yet another pipe, now hopelessly lost. And still they followed. A beam of light caught him. The sound of a bullet accompanied it and a searing pain in his calf that had him stumble and fall. But he staggered up, tanking the pain. Another bullet. It tore into his shoulder. A third in his back thankfully missing the spine, a fourth in his thigh. Another twist, another turn, then collapse. Rising, staggering, another turn… A drop… A scream… The landing and the snapping bones… And there he lay there utterly still, bleeding and broken at the bottom of whatever this part of the sewer was._

"Why do you run away?"

"I can't stay anymore. I'm a hunted man. There is no future left for me here."

"There is a woman who loves you."

"She'll love again. There's no life for her with me now. Or for anyone."

"Your siblings work even to this moment to clear the name of a dead man."

"Once a spy always a spy."

"They need you. More than you know. You were not rescued from your fate to flee from the life you built…"

 _There was blackness, then wakefulness, then blackness. Then there were voices. He heard them say he was dead. Orders for his remains to be retrieved because no one was stupid enough to try and jump in after him, and they didn't have the equipment for a body recovery. They thought he was dead… They left… They left, and he tourniqueted what he could and dragged himself through the filthy place bleeding profusely. Twists, turns, blackouts, awakenings, twists… Then he stopped… The sewer was blocked off here… It was a dead end, it seemed, and even if it wasn't he was hopelessly lost and badly wounded and he knew there was precious little chance for him. So he sat. He sat, he tended the wounds he could tend for all the good it would do, then he leaned against the grate and waited to die…_

 _Then there was the sound of bars being clattered…_

 _His eyes had opened. A monster lingered above him, looking out at him through the grate. A shadow person. It stared. He thought to himself that at least his death wouldn't be a slow and painful one, when it got its hands on him…_

 _When he awoke again his wounds were doctored. The grate had been opened… He didn't know what happened, he only knew that as long as he could, he needed to keep moving. So he did. Deeper and deeper. And every so often he saw the shadow creature in the distance, disappearing down another pipe. Common sense dictated he go the opposite direction, but something within him told him to follow. He obeyed. At worst a quick death met him, at best this shadow creature might actually be helping him. He followed it until it stopped in a wide-open area and turned to him staring. It pointed up..._

"Was it you who compelled the creature to bring me home?"

"You call it home still."

"To Pelican Town."

"The creature's name was Krobus. I did not compel him. It was of his own volition he led you along. I only told him where you came from when I sensed you with him… Yet you did not remain… You slipped into the forest and hid yourself away. You should have gone back, mortal."

"And put them in danger? Put them though that pain again? No. I couldn't have done that to them. I won't do that to them."

"They need you _there_. No matter what may come of it."

"Why?"

"Because they are dying… And one will not rise again without your help… Go home, doctor. Go home. You must trust in your siblings, in your friends, in me, and most of all in yourself. You will not be forsaken again."

"No. I can't."

"Then there will be death."

"…"

Stardew

Pierre sat numbly in the wizard's tower clinging tightly to his fading wife's hand. The wizard leaned against a wall, immensely grieved at all that was happening before them. They had almost given up hope she would ever awaken again… Then there was the sound of the door opening and closing, and of measured but cautious footsteps picking their way through the tower. The wizard exhaustedly looked over, barely able to raise his head it seemed. With a great deal of effort, he managed to push himself off the wall to go investigate. When he peered out, though, he caught his breath, eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

"What is it?" Pierre asked in a whisper. He almost hoped it was the witch come to finish them both off.

"By Yoba…" the wizard breathed.

Pierre frowned, turned to look, and gasped, shooting to his feet in shock and staring numbly at the figure standing there. It was… "Dr. Harvey," he said in some unidentifiable emotion.

Harvey was quiet, head bowed. He looked over towards Caroline and approached her without a word. Pierre could only gape, lips parted and eyes like saucers, following the doctor's movements. Was he seeing a ghost, he wondered in a brief moment of terror? He shot a panicked look at the wizard who appeared equally as stunned, but upon catching his eyes Rasmodius shook his head, answering Pierre's unvoiced question about whether Harvey was a phantom. This man was no spirit. This man was the real thing, flesh and blood… And he was back, but-but how?! Pierre didn't question it right now. He just watched nervously, hoping against hope that this would actually work and that Caroline would be brought back.

Harvey examined the woman briefly and then set to work attempting to coax her back to life, so to speak. Smelling salts were attempted, though Harvey doubted they'd do any good. They didn't. He continued to work as her husband and Rasmodius watched nervously. Their nervousness intensified when the doctor brought out a needle and injected it into the woman, but nervousness gave way to hope when she started to stir. "Was there a reason magic didn't work?" Harvey questioned.

"Restoration isn't among my fields of expertise. I don't know it. Not well enough for this," Rasmodius replied, nervously waiting for Caroline to awaken. Caroline let out a soft sound. Rasmodius caught his breath.

"Carol?" Pierre hopefully said, approaching quickly but stopping a little way back so as not to crowd the doctor. Harvey waited, watching her closely.

Her eyes began to flicker open and the doctor let out a breath. Caroline's brow furrowed in confusion to see him. "D-Doctor? Am-am I dead?" she asked, sounding a little fearful.

"No. Neither of us are," Harvey replied.

"Carol!" Pierre exclaimed, running to her and taking her into his arms, holding her closely.

"P-Pierre!" she exclaimed, holding him back. Wait. She paled, grip tightening. He winced, guessing where this was going. "Abby! Pierre, Abby!" she exclaimed, pulling back in terror and clinging to him. "It was a dream, tell me it was a dream!" Pierre drew a shaking breath, looking miserably down. He shook his head solemnly. Caroline felt her heart drop. "No," she said, shaking her head. "No!" she cried out before sobbing, looking away from him with teeth clenched in grief. But the memory of the dream returned to her in vivid detail, and she opened her eyes woefully as she held onto her husband, and she hoped with all her heart that the elf king's vow had been true…

Harvey retreated quietly to the exhausted wizard's side. "What happened?" he asked in a whisper. He knew, could sense, it was something too horrible for words.

Rasmodius was quiet. Finally, he turned to him. "Physician, heal us," he pled, voice breaking. "As best as you can."

Harvey stared at him in silence a moment. "To do so I need to know what happened," he finally replied. The wizard let out a shaking breath, took him away from Pierre and Caroline, and explained all of it as Harvey listened in horror. This, he realized with sinking heart, he couldn't fix.

Stardew

Kent sat in a chair in his and Jodi's room. Jodi was asleep on the bed, emotionally and mentally exhausted. He dangled his gun in his hands, staring at it ponderously. She'd called it a double suicide when she'd hinted to him that that was what she wanted. She'd been drunk when she she'd spoken those words, he kept telling himself. It was about all that was keeping him from doing it without a second thought. And he couldn't do it just to himself and leave her like that. And then the dream… The elf king's voice in their heads… They hadn't discussed it with one another, but they'd both known the other had experienced the same thing.

He shook his head hopelessly and sniffed, resting the gun's handle against his forehead and tapping it there a couple of times, emotionally ruined. There was nothing alive inside, he felt. The ember that was Jodi, that was about it, but… but it seemed even that was about to fizzle out... Maybe… maybe he should just get it over with… Just then the door was knocked on. He looked exhaustedly over and rose, leaving the bedroom. He paused, passing by the rooms of his sons, and felt like he was about to collapse before he steadied himself on the couch. He let out a breath and continued on to the door. He opened it up and froze, gasping and going white. There, standing outside, was none other than Harvey!

"Harvey," he breathed, staggering back a few steps and seriously thinking he'd cracked and was starting to see ghosts.

Harvey looked at him, then eyed the gun in his hand, then looked at him again. "Put down the gun, Kent," he said.

"You-you're dead," Kent said, pointing it shakily instead and looking terrified.

"If you shoot that gun, it'll be flesh and blood you hit," Harvey warned. "I'm here, Kent… I'm here… I survived. Did they claim they'd found a body at all?" Kent was silent because of course they hadn't, but-but this… this couldn't be! It was-it was just too much to handle! He shook his head in denial, keeping the gun trained on him. "I _will_ pull off some stereotypic spy moves if you don't lower that gun," Harvey said seriously, frowning. He was uncomfortable, to say the least, with that thing pointed at him, but the time he'd spent in the Gotoran army had prepared him for situations like this, so he was capable of disarming Kent if need be.

Kent let out a gasping breath, the pistol dropping from his hands. He collapsed onto the couch and sobbed, burying his face in his hands and starting to cry. Harvey approached cautiously, picking up the gun and putting it into a drawer before sitting on the coffee table across from him, watching the man quietly in concern. He didn't speak, just let the bereaved soldier cry for as long as Kent felt the need to. Then he would try to soothe the broken spirit as best he could.

"They're gone," he made out Kent choking out. Harvey stayed quiet, reaching over and putting a hand on Kent's shoulder firmly in an attempt to ground him. "My children are gone..." The words sent a chill down Harvey's spine, but he remained the pillar.

Stardew

Penny raced through the woods, tears burning her eyes. She couldn't do this anymore, stand by and do nothing in the wake of Sam's loss! She just couldn't! She knew the risk she was putting herself in, the elf king's warnings clear in her head, but she didn't care! She _hoped_ she came upon a fairy ring! And in not long she did… She barrelled into the circle of light without even hesitating and cried out as she fainted dead away, the magic of the ring knocking her out. She wasn't sure how long she was unconscious for, but when she came to she found herself at the feet of the elfin king…

Her lips parted as she looked slowly up at him with tears burning her eyes. He stared down at her silent, not even speaking. Gaping, she rose. "Majesty!" she exclaimed, falling to her knees and seizing his robes. "Tell me you can save them! Please! Tell me you can bring them back, I beg you, I beg you!" she pled, sobbing.

He was silent, staring down at the weeping human before him. After a long moment he reached down, resting his hand on the top of her head. "I cannot tell if you are bold or foolish," he murmured to her. She didn't answer him, just let herself cry where she never felt she could before. "I can restore them," he finally said.

"Then why haven't you?" she asked, voice breaking.

"To my forest they flew, but it was in this place that the witch captured them once more, locking them away in a little birdcage in a hidden place, no longer her swamp. And so from her they must be taken… But I cannot approach her new lair… She has enchanted it with incantations banishing the fae from entering its premises. How she came upon such a spell I do not know, but I cannot fetch them."

"Then I will," she replied. "Just tell me where they are and I'll go!"

"You will not stand to her," the elf king replied. "You will become her servant."

"If she lets them go in exchange, I'll _be_ her servant," Penny replied.

"Why bargain when she can take? Go instead to the wizard, Rasmodius, and give to him this scroll written in a tongue he alone will know, the language of this forest. He will direct you from there," the elven king stated.

"I can't be useless anymore!" she protested.

"This is a matter of self-preservation and common sense, not use or lack thereof. But it is not my decision to make. The moment this scroll is put into his hands, it becomes _his_. Whether you play a part in it or not is for him to decide," the elf replied. "Take this with you, and keep it on your person." He handed her a glistening gem, sparkling and beautiful. She reached out for it, taking it in awe. "Now go," he said.

Penny gasped, eyes flying open. She started and staggered to her feet in surprise looking around upon realizing she was back in Cindersnap Forest not far from the wizard's tower. What had happened, she wondered? She didn't question long, though. She remembered the scroll she held in her hand, and the gem. She stared at them a moment then tucked the gem in her pocket and raced towards the wizard's tower as quickly as she could.

Stardew

The wizard read over the scroll in shock and hope. Penny waited nervously for him to finish and tell her what needed to be done. "I want to help you," she said as soon as she was certain he was just rereading the scroll. He glanced quickly up at her. "Please," Penny pled.

For a moment the wizard stared at her. Finally, he tucked the scroll away. "Very well. You will accompany me to my ex-wife's hideaway, but you are to remain out of sight. I will go to her, speak to her, try to reason with her… Beg her… But she will not hear me. However, she will relish in my subservience. And while she giddily focuses her attention on me, you will slip inside unseen, and you will find the cage she has trapped them in, and you'll take it and sneak out once more. Don't wait for me. Find the elf king immediately. There… there is no guarantee I will return…"

Penny looked concerned now. "No guarantee? Wh-why?" she asked.

"There are a thousand reasons why, dear girl. You needn't worry about any of them," he replied.

"Are… will she kill you?" Penny asked uneasily.

"Perhaps. It's one of the thousand reasons I may not return… Another is because I may not choose to…" At least for a time.

Penny was quiet. "Do you still… love her?" she asked after moment.

The wizard sighed, bowing his head low. For a long time he was silent. "A part of me still does," he finally confirmed. "But after _this_? …No. No, I cannot forgive her for this… So I will fight to kill, but I may not be able to find it in myself to carry it through. So she will kill me instead... She will kill me, or I will stay with her and try to start a life anew… And help her to let go and do so… But those are only a very few of the thousand reasons I might not come back."

"Now what are the reasons you _might_?" Penny asked.

A small and amused smile pulled at his lips as he looked at her. "My daughter," he finally replied. "And the people in this valley. I've grown fond of you all, but my daughter most of all… And that was why she did this to you... To make me suffer."

"Hold onto those reasons to come back instead of focusing on all the reasons you might not," Penny said.

The wizard smiled wearily and nodded at her in a measure of gratefulness. "Are you ready then?" he asked.

"I'm ready," she replied bravely.

"Very well. Let's do this," he said. He waved his hand, casting a portal. Penny gasped in amazement, eyes wide. He stepped through it. She hesitated briefly before following him through. They stepped out into another part of the forest, or a whole new one entirely. She wasn't sure. Through the trees a house could be seen, pleasant and inconspicuous looking.

"Is that it?" Penny asked. The wizard grunted a confirmation. "How did you know where to come?" she asked.

"I didn't. But we are bonded, her and I, and so when I sought her, when I thought of her, the portal reacted and linked to her lifeforce and brought me, us, to where she was," he answered.

"How will I get in unseen?" Penny asked.

"A window," he answered. "I'll cast a spell to unlock all of them. Search for the one leading into the room she keeps the doves. If there isn't one, enter through any of them and start looking. Thoroughly. As thoroughly as you dare to."

"Alright," Penny replied, nodding in confirmation.

"Let me go to her first and engage her. Then make your move," he said. She nodded again. He nodded back then rose, walking towards the house boldly. She slunk through the forest as quietly and inconspicuously as she could, making for the house in secret.

Stardew

The witch saw him coming. She stepped from the house before he had even reached it, waiting in the doorway. She gave him a boastful, cruel smile. "Rasmodius," she purred. "Have you come to try and take my pretty little pets?" she purred.

He paused, staring at her quietly. "The green doesn't flatter you. You should do something about it. The illusion of the farmhand was pleasant enough, but I don't feel it did you justice in the end," he half-bit.

"Humph, I like this pigment," she replied, brushing him off. He could tell she wasn't being entirely truthful.

"I've come for your pets," he said, dropping the petty insult game. There was a chance he could bargain for their freedom and he couldn't jeopardize that. "For my daughter, and for the child, and for the young man… Please Baba. Give them back. I'll give you anything."

"Your whore's head on a platter," she replied. He was silent. Caroline… "She would make such a lovely decoration," the witch cooed at him. "She's a beautiful little thing. I see why you liked her."

"It wasn't her beauty," he answered. Though it hadn't hurt. "If it were beauty alone, my eyes not once would have drifted from you as you were… I made a mistake. I was the one in the wrong, the one who ruined us, and I am willing to pay the price for that."

"And you have. Your daughter. Her friend and the child were victims of circumstance. Of course I'm not complaining. The more the people you care for suffer, the better. Did she die of a broken heart? That pretty little slut you couldn't keep your hands off?"

His jaw twitched as he desperately refrained from telling her off for her biting insults towards Caroline. "She made a mistake," he replied through gritted teeth. "But the blame falls on me."

"Did you cast a spell on her? Drug her? Force yourself on her? If not, then how could it possibly be more your mistake than hers?" she asked sounding hurt. "Neither of you had to say yes. And neither of you should have."

"There was drinking," he muttered, flushing a bit.

"Don't blame your transgression on the drink," the witch hissed back, betrayal and pain in her voice.

He was quiet. "It was me," he finally said.

"And her. And now you've both paid the price. Leave," she said.

"Why are you keeping the child and his older brother?" he asked. "If the price was Abigail, why did you take Sam and Vince?"

"Their parents were fools who believed a fairy tale. Those boys' loss was their mommy and daddy's faults. It wasn't my initial desire, but it's hurting you and it hurt her, so it's just fine," the witch replied.

"I will give you my life, my freedom, my _everything_ , in exchange for their freedom. Everything," he replied. "Humanity even, if that's your wish."

"This is serving me just fine. To see you grovel fruitlessly for their pathetic lives," she replied.

"Gods you're frigid witch," he said in disbelief, shaking his head.

"Mmm, now you're getting it," she replied.

Stardew

Penny slipped from the woods and went to a window. She tried it and found it unlocked, just as the wizard had said. She worked it quietly open, looked around, then hefted herself onto the sill and slipped inside quietly. She found herself in a sitting room and listened carefully for anything that might be waiting. Nothing. She slipped through the room and pushed open the door carefully, peering through to check the hall. She caught her breath. Just down the corridor was a horrifying creature, breathing raspy and a growl seeming to escape its throat regularly as it shuffled along. When he neared the door he stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. She gasped, shutting said door quietly and looking for a place to hide. She hurried for a chair and quickly crawled behind it in fear. The door opened moments later and the creature came in, growl now constant. It sniffed the air again, eyes scanning the room. Oh no, it was going to find her! What was it smelling? She wasn't wearing a perfume or any scent at all! Or could he just smell the human…?

The goblin's head snapped around, falling on the chair. Penny's heart plummeted. Would this thing eat her, a terrified thought nagged? It gave a semi-roar and stormed towards the chair Penny thought quickly, trying to figure out anything at all she could do. She gasped, shooting to her feet and racing from behind the chair, darting for the window. The goblin roared in shock and outrage. "Halt!" it bellowed. It lunged quickly, getting between her and her destination.

Fearfully she backed away, mouth agape in horror. "Wh-what are you?!" she exclaimed.

"Who are _you_?!" it roared back. It sniffed the air. "Meat. Delicious meat," it snarled.

"No, no, no, I'm not meat, I'm not meat!" she insisted. "I mean I am, but-but not meat that tastes good!"

If sniffed. "Human," it said. Another sniff. "Female." Another sniff. "Young, juicy, tender."

"Wait, wait, wait!" she exclaimed, seeing him starting to close in for a kill. She searched herself for anything that might catch this creature's attention and gasped, pulling out a shiny object. The gemstone she'd been given by the elven king! She held it up and the goblin stopped, eyes fixing on the sparkling jewel like it had him hypnotised. Penny, heart pounding, began moving it back and forth.

"Where did you get this?" he snarled, approaching quickly and making a grab for it. She pulled it back.

"Do you want it?" she asked.

"Give it to me!" he snarled. "It belongs to me! To my people!"

Penny started but didn't let surprise slip into her voice. "I'll give it to you, but you have to tell me something first."

"Give it!" he roared, snatching again. Again she got out of the way. "Where does she keep her little birds?" Penny pressed. "The three doves in the wooden cage?"

"That attic. It is behind a hidden panel in her library. Tap twice, then five times after. It opens. There are stairs. In the attic. In the attic," he replied. Penny threw the gem across the room. The goblin went at it immediately. She bolted from the room and began searching for the library. So that was why the elf king had given it to her. He'd known of the goblin guardsman!

She searched every door—thankfully there weren't many—until she found the library. She raced in, shutting the door behind her, and began searching for the panel, tapping everywhere desperately. Two then five, two then five. Presumably with a pause or the goblin would have just said seven. Two… There was a click. She paused. This was it, it had to be! She tapped five more times with a gasp. The panel began to move. She could have cheered, but for obvious reasons refrained. She found herself looking up a narrow stairwell and swallowed a bit nervously. After a moment she started cautiously up them, on the lookout for any traps. She reached the top without incident. She slipped into the small room. She didn't have to look around to see them. They were right there in front of her, a beam of sunlight shining down on their cage.

She held her breath, staring, then began to approach, eyes filling with emotion. The littlest bird was tucked under the wing of another that was gently preening it. They sat on the floor. The third was perched on a perch, preening itself and looking often towards the sun. "S-Sam? Abby? Vince?" Penny said timidly, bending over to look inside. The birds didn't seem to react, say for the one she presumed was Sam. He looked up at her, staring a moment, then turned his attention back to the littlest dove. Tears burned her eyes and she sniffed, wiping them and drawing a breath. She took hold of the cage carefully then paused. What if it was boobytrapped? But then, what if opening the cage would send out an alarm too?

She reached her fingers in, gently petting Vince's head, and Sam's. Sam seemed to nuzzle her before turning back to the little one again. She reached up, dangling her fingers to Abby. Abby looked over and hopped along the perch, pecking gently at them. She wasn't sure why, but it felt like a plea. She looked around nervously, took a breath, then grabbed the cage, pulling it from the table and immediately running. A shriek echoed through the house, loud and horrifying. The witch's alarm. Her heart almost stopped in fear—the scream, it was so tormented—but she kept running. Through the library, to a room with a window, out the window. Just focus on that goal, just focus.

Stardew

The witch spun with eyes wide in shock and fury darkening her expression. The Wizard gaped in horror at the sound of the scream. Penny! "What have you done?!" the witch screamed furiously at him before darting inside. He gasped, following her quickly to protect the young woman.

The witch found the fleeing girl in record time. Penny slid to a stop with a cry upon coming face to face with the woman. "You!" she exclaimed.

"Now you're mine! You'll make a pretty little servant indeed!" the witch snarled, preparing an attack. She screamed in pain and flew against a wall, though, when another spell hit her. Penny gasped, looking over. Rasmodius!

"Penny run! Now!" Rasmodius ordered, keeping the witch at bay with gritted teeth.

Penny didn't argue. She bolted with the cage in hand. She knew the plan. Find the elfin king, release the birds if she couldn't get away herself, and hope. But she'd get away! Rasmodius would be sure of it… But could _he_ get away, she nervously wondered?

Rasmodius cried out in pain as the witch finally regained the strength to retaliate, casting him back. He cried out, striking the ground. She leapt at him with a furious scream, hands ablaze with violent spells. He caught her wrists, his own hands lit with spells to cancel out her attacks, and the two grappled. He of course got the upper hand, but she was prepared, jerked her hand away, and attacked him with a spell that had him writhing in agony on the ground, screaming out. She laughed wickedly, standing and keeping it up, relishing in his pain. He threw out a spell. She cried out in pain, striking the roof and dropping heavily. She coughed. He staggered to his feet, racing for the door. She lunged with a cry, grabbing his ankle and bringing him down. He turned quickly around, casting a spell at the same time she cast one. The attacks met one another and fought for dominance going back and forth, both husband and wife with teeth gritted totally focused on the fight for dominance. He would see her locked in battle for eternity, if he had to. He had been ready to accept that fate when he came here. Was she? They staggered to their feet, still harrying one another with the spells. He cast a second around himself, one that would automatically keep him sustained for the rest of his days if need be, and beyond if it came to that. He saw the dread and realization growing in his ex wife's eyes before she scowled and cast the same spell about herself with a cry.

"You're willing to spend the rest of your days here? Like this?" he asked in a hiss. "For _spite_?"

"No. But if it makes you suffer I will," she replied.

"Forget all your ambitions but me," he said to her. "You wanted to be with me for the rest of your life. Now you _will_ be."

Tears threatened her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. "It's _all_ I wanted," she replied, sounding almost gentle.

He let out a breath, bowing his head sadly. "It was all I wanted once too… I never wanted it to be spent like this." He looked up at her again. "I never stopped loving you," he said.

"Good. Then whether my powers give in and you kill me or yours give in and I kill you, whether you outlive me or I outlive you, this will hurt you all the more," she replied. "Suffer for the rest of our eternity."

Stardew

Penny didn't look back. Not once. She didn't know where she was or where to go, but the forest king would find her. She knew he would. She would run aimless until he did...

Then suddenly he was there, riding high upon his elk mount and staring down at her and the little birds. Silence… "Where is the wizard?" he asked.

Tears threatened her eyes. "He stayed behind," she answered in a whisper.

The elf tilted his head quietly, seemed to guess at what that statement may mean for his… friend maybe, then closed his eyes, bowing his head slightly for a moment before looking up at her. "You have the little birds," he said, forcing a smile. She nodded and offered them up to him. He took the cage from her hands and peered in at them. They were staring at him now, all three. He looked at Penny once more. "Now, go home," he said. She felt sleep weigh heavy on her eyes. Then there was blackness. When she awakened, it was in her house and in her bed. She lay there still. All she could do now, she sensed, was wait…

Stardew

The elf king stared into the cage a long moment before reaching in and withdrawing from it one of the birds. The female. The wizard's daughter. Gently he stroked her head. "Your father was a good man… You would have done well as his apprentice… It was an offer he desired to extend to you one day, you know. Fortune be willing one day he shall get the chance to again… But if there is nothing that will save him, you must know that he loved you. Dearly. More than anything. More than life." The dove seemed to bow her head looking a little upset and distraught. "There, there. All will be well again," he murmured to her, carrying her away from the other two who tentatively stepped out of the opened cage and watched after him.

He brought the dove to the young man. Her husband asleep in a bed of flowers entwined in ivy, protected from himself and the harm he would have otherwise brought to his own body and life. The dove cooed in some concern. He stroked its head softly until, against its will, it drifted off to sleep. Then he rested it on the flowers at the young man's side, his breath gently ruffling her down. "When you awaken again, young man, it will be to joy and no more to sorrow."

He stood, walking away to return to the other two. They were perched in a tree, staring down at him. He extended his hand. The little one came first, perching there. The bigger one, more cautious, soon followed if only to protect the littler one. He stroked their heads lightly and carried them off wordlessly to a beautiful little stream. Jas was there sitting in the grass, tears spilling from her eyes as she wept for her lost friend and for home. He approached her, kneeling, and held the birds in front of her. She looked at them dully then gasped, gently cupping the little one and bringing it in front of her. "Is-is this…?" she began, voice breaking.

"Yes," he answered. "And he will be whole again. As will the other."

"Who is the other?" she asked.

"His brother," he answered.

"Sam?" she asked, eyes wide in wonder. The elf king nodded with a smile. Sam began flying excitedly around her head, cooing and diving as if celebrating or trying to speak to her.

"Do you want to help me save them?" he asked. She nodded. He smiled and held out his hands to her. She took them gently. "Speak with me," he murmured. Then he began to utter words in a language she had never heard. A language that sounded so beautiful she could hardly believe it, her ears dancing to the sweet lull. She began to repeat them as well as she could. She felt like she heard the name Yoba in the words, she knew she did in fact. She didn't know what it meant, but she didn't care. A glow was starting to surround the pretty doves, sparkly and with dust particles and beautiful... And slowly the birds began to change forms... Almost like illusions at first but then becoming tangible slowly. Then there, laying on the ground on his back, was Vincent. Then there was Sam, curled on his side. They were here and they were real and Jas wanted to gasp or cry out, but she kept saying the words the elf king was saying until he stopped… And there they were… Tangible and real and there! She gave a cry, throwing herself towards Vincent and hugging him tightly.

He gasped, jerking awake, and thrashed a moment. "Sam!" he cried out as if calling for help. He realized, then, that he had a voice again and gasped, sitting quickly up with Jas still clinging to him in tears. "J-Jas? Am-am I… am I back?" he asked vulnerably.

"Yes Vince yes, you're back! The Elf King saved you! He brought you back. You're okay!" she exclaimed, sobbing. "You're okay." He hugged her tightly back with a gasp, overwhelmed.

Sam moaned softly, starting to stir. He slowly sat up, hand to his head. "V-Vince? Penny?" he asked in concern.

"Sam!" Vince exclaimed, pulling away from Jas and tackling his brother. Sam started, holding him back, then seemed to realize he was human again and gasped. He looked quickly around for the elf king. It was gone… But a path was open before them beckoning them to follow. He could only stare in shock, trying to puzzle out what it meant and what had happened as he held and soothed his brother and Jas.

Stardew

Sebastian's eyes flickered open slowly. He didn't want them to. He'd hoped they'd never open again. He caught his breath softly, though, when he saw what lay next to him... It was his wife! His beautiful wife. Abigail, in the flesh, lying facing him and softly, tenderly, smiling at him. "You're so at peace when you sleep," she whispered. Her smile fell. "I'm sorry I took that peace from you." His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't think, he could only act. He let out a shaky gasp and tucked his hand behind her head, fingers entwining in her hair. He pulled her close kissing her desperately and longingly, tears burning in his eyes.

"Abby," he choked out, withdrawing. "Abby, you're alive, you're back. Abby!" He kissed her again. She held him close to her, relishing and holding his lips as long as she possibly could.

"Sebastian, Abigail?" a voice said.

Sebastian gasped, turning, and sat up. "Sam!" he exclaimed in joy. "Vince, Jas!"

"What the hell happened man?!" Sam exclaimed, royally freaked out.

"You-you turned into doves. Your parents put prismatic shards on an altar thinking it would fix things but instead… instead they lost _you_ … All of you," Sebastian said. "You've been gone almost all winter. Jodi took up drinking, Caroline was pining away in a grief induced coma last I checked and not looking good, and Kent… He locked himself away. He's been playing with his gun like it's his best friend."

"What the hell man?!" Sam freaked, looking terrified. "What is he doing?!"

"Your… your mom hinted, once, at getting him to put the gun to good use? On… on them both…" Sebastian replied.

Sam shouted a profanity, turning on his heel and racing towards a path that was… not supposed to be there, Sebastian realized at the same time he realized it was an illusion of the elfin king's. "My mom is… is _dying_?" Abigail said, voice suddenly weak and terrified. Sebastian was quiet. The two of them quickly staggered up and raced after Sam, Vincent, and Jas. The children seemed confused, and that was just fine. Bless their innocence, Sebastian dryly noted to himself.

Stardew

The Night Market was a somber affair. There had been joy when Caroline came back, so it was a little lighter than it otherwise would have been, but there was still more grief than joy in this valley. Harvey hadn't made a reappearance. Nor had anyone who knew he was alive said anything about it at all. He hadn't wanted it to get out just yet. He was still deciding whether to stay or leave, in fact… Not even his siblings knew he was alive yet…

The townsfolk wandered aimlessly by rote, examining things that caught their interest here and there, but no one spoke… At least not until children's laughter was heard… Everything stopped. All eyes turned to the beach path. Marnie and Shane grouped quickly up, eyes wide. Kent and Jodi stared, breathless… From the path raced two little figures. Marnie gave a cry, collapsing to her knees. Jodi screamed, covering her mouth. Shane took off.

"Jas!" Shane cried out desperately, racing to the little girl and scooping her up, spinning her in the air.

Her arms flung wide, her face beaming in glee, she cried, "Uncle Shane!" Tightly she hugged him. Marnie staggered up, running to her and taking her from Shane, utterly overwhelmed as she stared at her. "Aunt Marnie!" she chirped. Marnie burst into tears, crushing her in her embrace.

"Daddy, mommy!" Vincent cried.

"Baby!" Jodi screamed, dropping to her knees and catching him in her arms. He made a sound of discomfort as she crushed him in her arms, then squirmed away, leaping at Kent.

Kent cried out, catching him and staring blankly down at him before suddenly bursting into hysterical, overjoyed laughter. He scooped him up, throwing him up in the air before catching him again. Vince laughed in glee and hugged Kent tightly around the neck. Kent all but enveloped the child in his arms, hysterical laughter giving way to body-shaking sobs. Jodi held them both. Willing himself to calm down, Kent looked hopefully towards the woods. There he saw Sam, standing and watching him guardedly but also longingly.

"Sam!" Penny cried, racing out of the spectators and running to him, throwing herself into his arms. He caught her, holding her tightly. He clutched on almost desperately, closing his eyes and swallowing thickly.

"Hi," he said, voice breaking.

"Hi," she whispered back, trembling from emotion. "Hi," she repeated, kissing the side of his mouth adoringly.

He sniffed, looking ahead to his parents. "Mom, dad," he said, voice breaking. Jodi ran to him, embracing him tightly and breaking down. Kent stayed rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do or what his son would allow. He couldn't stay put long, though, and soon found himself moving towards his oldest tentatively but longingly. Sam warily watched his father, but wary gave way to exhausted. He didn't want to be defiant or spiteful now. He just wanted his father's arms around him too. Kent took the final step and embraced his son with his free arm, pulling Sam tightly against him swaying side to side. He buried his face in the young man's hair and wept openly. Sam held his father tight, his mother too as the family group hugged. Penny returned to her own mother in tears, watching gleefully with hands clasped. Pam placed a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder, smiling and her near tears herself.

"Abigail!" Caroline suddenly screamed out.

"Sebastian!" Robin echoed. Both women raced towards their respective children, throwing their arms around the two new arrivals and holding them close. Pierre, after a stunned paused, gasped and raced to his daughter too, clinging on and holding both her and her mother tightly to him. They were the most important things in his life, he determined then and there, and nothing, _nothing_ , would come between him and them again. Including his business.

Sebastian pulled from his mother and ran to Maru, hugging her tightly. She sobbed, clinging to him just as tight and weeping into his chest. Demetrius stood back. He wanted to hold his step-son too, and that was plain for all to see, but… but he didn't feel like that was his place right now… Sebastian had never warmed up to him, he knew. Demetrius had tried, goodness knew how he'd tried, but… but it just had never happened… Maybe he'd done something wrong, maybe he hadn't tried hard enough, but it was too late to go back now and so it was what it was. Every time he had reached out he was brushed off. He'd learned long ago when to stop trying. He stepped towards the young man again nonetheless, and when Sebastian didn't give him a death glare, he tentatively rested his hand on the boy's shoulder, rubbing it gently and squeezing it. Sebastian didn't acknowledge him but didn't drive him away either, so Demetrius would take what he got.

Stardew

The elf king watched from the cliff, gazing down at the Night Market. "Will you not go too, doctor?" he asked the man standing with him. The doctor didn't answer. "Go at least to your sister. In disguise if you desire, so no one else will see. She and your brother, if no others, need to know."

"My life here has ended," he said.

"It has not, they would hide you away among them and protect you, but if you are so insistent it has ended so be it. Your life with your siblings has not come to a close yet, though," the elf replied. He looked at the man again. "And you are under my protection. All of you… They will not find you in this place… If I so wished they would not even remember you existed. To the military, and your patients in the city, it would be as if you were never discovered, though all others will recall it."

"Don't go to the trouble for me," Harvey replied. "Somehow my reputation will be cleared. Dobson and Carmen are good at that."

"Then you will go to them?" the elf asked.

"They don't need to know I'm alive to clear my reputation," Harvey replied.

"What are you afraid of, mortal?" he asked; and suddenly it was like they were right in front of his sister's barge, though Harvey knew they couldn't be because… because she couldn't see him…

Harvey was quiet, watching his sister in silence. Her eyes were closed, tears slipping quietly down her cheeks. She would force a smile and wipe them away when she heard someone coming, but when she was alone again the grief was there for anyone to read. He was reading it now and he hated it… "I'll see them. Her…" he finally relented, staring at Carmen's barge solemnly.

"I know you will," the elf replied. "And I suspect she will not be the only one." Perhaps where _he_ had failed to convince the man, his siblings would succeed…

Stardew

The Travelling Merchant was the last one to leave the Night Market. She was packing up her barge, quietly listening to the reunited families and friends speaking. Well, mostly reunited… "You married Miss Emily, Uncle Shane? How could you?! I wanted to be the flower girl when you did!" Jas was saying in horror.

"How about we do a pretend wedding just for you so you can be the flower girl this time, Jas?" Emily was teasing in amusement.

"Yes!" Jas insisted.

Shane laughed, actually full out laughed, and said, "Okay, Jas. Just for you we'll do the wedding all over again so you can throw the flowers." Jas cheered happily, hugging them both.

The travelling merchant looked away. She was happy for them, she really was… The town could finally repair itself. They would be happy again, together again, content again… Her family wouldn't though… Harvey was still dead, and they were still scrambling to figure out how they were supposed to tell their elderly parents that their oldest son wasn't coming back. It was only a matter of time before they called asking why Harvey had stopped contacting them to check up regularly. It wasn't a conversation she relished having. Dobson had offered to do it, but it was her duty to tell them, not his.

She disembarked with a sigh. She had to… to pick up some things from Harvey's apartment. Some of his personal effects. She couldn't get the furniture or heavy things yet, that was too much for her to carry alone so she'd have to wait for Dobson to come help, but she could get much of the little stuff… She spent an hour just sitting on his couch crying… There would be no collecting his things today. She couldn't do it.

By the time she made it back to the beach, it was abandoned. Everyone was gone and only her barge remained floating there. She sailed away from the dock slowly, letting the pig do the work as she stared out at the coast in grief. She missed him… "I could have been anyone, you understand? Carmen, you know better than to leave your boat and cart untended," a voice said from behind with a sigh.

She caught her breath, spinning quickly around with eyes wide. She gasped, feeling her knees buckling. She tried to make her brain believe what her eyes were seeing, but she couldn't. There, standing across the deck, was her brother! "Harvey," she said, voice breaking.

He offered her a tired smile. "Without a body, never believe what you hear," he murmured to her. She shook her head in denial. He sighed again. "Oh Carmen… I'm sorry it took me so long to come back…" She gave a cry, racing towards him. He raced to her in turn, catching her in his arms and hugging her tightly, gently swaying her from side to side. "I love you little sister," he said, voice wavering.

"You're alive!" she choked out over a sob.

"I am. And you're one of five people who knows I am," he replied. "Four of them not of my own volition." Namely the wizard, Pierre, Caroline, and Kent.

"And Dobson?" she asked.

"He doesn't know," Harvey replied.

"He needs to! Before he does something stupid or reckless," she said.

"Then let's go to him," Harvey replied. She nodded and hugged him tightly again. He once more returned her embrace, letting out a shaky sigh and closing his eyes, swallowing and relishing in the feeling of being with his family again. Well, one member soon to be two.

Stardew

Dobson stared at him, tears in his eyes as he shook his head. "You son of a b***h," he said, voice cracking. "You son of a b***h, you son of a b***h." He bowed his head low, teeth gritted as he held his head in his hands.

"At least I came back," he replied. "It wasn't my original plan."

"Wasn't your original…? You son of a b***h!" Dobson shouted at him.

"I knew my disappearing would be the best way to protect you and Carmen," he said.

"Screw you Harvey!" Dobson shouted, shoving him roughly.

Harvey winced, expecting it, but didn't retaliate. "At least I came back," he repeated.

"You put us through hell!" Dobson shot.

"I didn't expect to survive when I parted ways with Kent," Harvey replied. "I just wanted him to get home to his family and I wanted you to stay safe."

"You should have come back," Dobson said, stressfully drawing his hands through his hair. "You should have come back, you should have come back."

"You… you're right," Harvey murmured gently. "I'm sorry."

"You don't get to be sorry!" Dobson snapped. Harvey didn't answer.

"Dobson, enough," Carmen gently soothed. "He's here now. Our brother's alive." Dobson looked at him again. Suddenly he sobbed, bowing his head. Harvey approached tentatively and embraced his brother gently. Dobson clung tightly to him, burying his face in his shoulder and letting himself cry. Carmen looked at Harvey. "You need to go back. To Pellican Town and to the people there. To the girl."

He shook his head. "Nothing can be gained by going back there. I'll only put them in danger," he replied.

"What about the creature in the forest?" she asked gently.

"Th-the creature?" Dobson asked, pulling a little back and staring curiously up at his brother.

"The elf," Carmen said.

Dobson started then looked highly unimpressed. "You're kidding me, aren't you? In _that_ little dump?"

"Yes in that little dump," Harvey replied, frowning and folding his arms.

"It's a fairy tale!" Dobson said.

"Turns out sometimes fairy tales are based in realities," Harvey answered. "He's there, Dobson. I've seen him. Spoken to him. Touched him… He's there."

Dobson was quiet. "Then why won't you go back if something that powerful resides in those woods?" he asked finally. "Nowhere safer. Things could continue like always! We won't have to regroup, re-strategize, and relocate everything we've done and been doing. Pellican Town, Stardew Valley, is the perfect location. It's why you chose it, and I thought you were out of your mind back then but I see now that you were right all along. Access to the ports, neighboring one of the largest cities in Ferngill Republic, within driving distance to both a key military base of the Republic and the secret Empire one located outside the city, to say nothing of its access to the desert and Mr. Qi, which is a stellar hiding place might I add. And right under a flight path so easy access to aerial assets with great reception, and now an elf protecting the very ground you walk on and claiming it as his? And people who would do anything to keep you safe on top of it, plus a neat little medical practice bringing in much-needed funding for our family and other activities of ours… Harvey it would be insanity to leave it! You'll never find a place as useful to us and our goals."

"Plus two resident geniuses who could be valuable assets," Carmen hinted.

"I'm not using Maru and Demetrius like that," Harvey said firmly.

"But you could! If you ever needed to," she replied. "And now a well-respected military officer who's gone from enemy to friend just adding layers of connections onto you, plus a wizard, plus it's in an inconspicuous place, completely overlooked by prying eyes and entirely safe for me to peddle my smuggled wares. And deliver the secrets and plans that you and Dobson need. Nor is it out of my way at all either; in fact just the opposite."

"They'll look into me, they'll look into the valley, they'll learn about you…" Harvey began.

"They'll do that already," she replied. "But as long as they go on thinking you're dead, I have a place to hide. And people who will play dumb like they've never seen me before too. I will find no allies or civilians as willing to cover for a Gotoran smuggler elsewhere, and I would be regarded with suspicion everywhere."

Harvey was quiet. "Let's stay here and lay low, okay? At least for a while to see if this mania all blows over and they forget about it," Dobson encouraged.

"I don't like the idea of us being so spread out when things are this tumultuous," Harvey replied.

"Then we won't be. I… may have a plan for that," Dobson said.

"A plan?" Harvey asked.

"Just trust me," Dobson replied. Harvey raised a suspicious eyebrow but didn't press.

"Go home, Harvey. Go back to her. Make them whole again. At least as whole as they can be," Carmen prompted gently. Harvey was quiet, looking down and away.

Stardew

The final day of winter. Evening, to be precise. Maru stood in the background of the repeat wedding, watching with a sad smile as Shane and Emily walked down the aisle again, this time with Jas as a flower girl. It was sweet. Beautiful… Painful… As the light-hearted conversation carried on, as everyone began to return to their houses before it got too dark, she slipped away from the others in silence, going to the clinic and stopping in front of it. She gently played with the mermaid pendant that hung around her neck before turning away in grief and walking towards the small field behind Kent and Jodi's place, where Harvey used to like to go during his lunch break.

She stopped there and held the pendant in her palms, looking down at it and tracing it lightly as the final snow of the season began to fall around her in the dark. She let out a shaky breath, bowing her head and pressing the pendant against her breast. "I accept," she whispered softly.

"I'll set everything up," a gentle voice said from behind. She caught her breath, spinning quickly around. She let out a shaking gasp. There, leaning on the fence, was Harvey!

Maru covered her mouth with a hand, hardly able to believe what she was seeing. She shook her head, tears burning her eyes. "I think a spring wedding was Haley and Alex's plan," she finally found the words to say, voice breaking.

"Doubtless planned for the day before, or after or even of, the Flower Dance," he replied. "Admittedly spring is very cliched… We can wait until summer. Fall. Even winter, if you'd prefer."

"No," she cut off almost before he'd finished, shaking her head. She swallowed. "Summer. It'll give-give your family time to-to…" she trailed off, unable to find words anymore.

He came around the fence and went straight to her, gently taking her face in his hands and pushing back her hair. He wiped the tears in her eyes away with his thumbs gently then embraced her, pulling her close to him. She let out a sob, clutching onto his jacket tightly. "Summer it is," he murmured.

"You were dead, and then you were back and then you were gone again, and I didn't-I didn't know what was true anymore, I didn't know," she said, voice breaking.

"What's true... What's true is that I'm a doctor, and I'm a brother, and I'm a son; I'm a wildcard, a spy, a danger, a threat; unpredictable, outcast, nationless… Weak and afraid… And so _desperately_ in love with you that I feel like I can't breathe… I am so, _so_ sick and tired of running and hiding… But I must, because that's what you have to do and that's who you have to be when you're a traitor to every side but your own. That's what I am until the end of this godforsaken war… I wanted to leave. I still believe I should, that I have to, because I feel like as long as I'm here among you, you'll be in danger, all of you, and I don't want that. I never wanted that. I can't… I can't let it happen. And if you married me and something happened…"

She kissed him firmly on the mouth, cutting him off. After a long moment she pulled away. "Don't go… Nothing will happen to me, nothing will happen to any of us… Don't you feel what protects us here? Magic, old and ancient and unfathomable," she whispered, gently petting his chest.

"Sometimes magic isn't enough," he whispered in return.

"It brought you back to me, didn't it?" she replied.

He was quiet. "I might not always be here. This may not be the last time I disappear, appear to be dead, appear to..."

"Don't leave," she pled. "Just always come back. I can wait... I won't be ashamed to become a rebel's wife," she teased with a small grin.

"Dressing it up with a more palatable term doesn't change the reality," he replied, smiling ever so slightly.

"Traitor's too harsh, rebel's too gentle… We should stick with spy I think. Or secret agent," she joked.

He chuckled. "Spy it is," he relented. "Are you ready to become the wife of a super secret underground spy?" She giggled a little and nodded. He smiled. "Then summer it is," he murmured into her hair softly.

"You'll stay?" she asked.

"I'll stay," he replied. "For however long they'll accept me, I'll stay."

"They'll always accept you," she said. He hummed noncommittally in response then kissed her once again...

(A/N: Not overly happy with this chapter, at least some parts, but I hope you all enjoyed it.)


	15. Year 4: Fourth Spring

**.**

(Reference another song in this chapter called 'Dance of the Wild Faeries'. Give credit where credit is due, after all. I'm not as happy with this chapter as I have been with others, but hopefully you all enjoy it. Sorry for the long delay. I've been lacking a lot of motivation these days.)

 **Spring**

The stranger came into the valley with no fanfare. He gave plenty of notice for the mayor to be on standby with the carpenter. In fact, he expected it.

He stepped off the bus looking disdainfully around, highly out of place here. Lewis and Robin could only blink blankly at the well-dressed, well, city slicker was probably the best way to describe him. Urban boy way out of his element it seemed, wearing a designer suit with a cellphone glued to his face and a bored and unimpressed expression.

"Sir? Are you still there?" he asked into said phone. "Uh-huh… Sorry to put you on hold, sir. I had some business to attend to… That's right sir, I'm here right now in Stardew Valley. I have to say, so far I've been quite unimpressed with the locals. They seem like a docile and unfashionable sort of people," Robin and Lewis started, eyes widening, and exchanged shocked and offended looks before scowling back at him, crossing their arms. He covered the phone with his hand. "No offense," he mouthed with an impersonal smile before turning back to the call. He walked away from Robin and Demetrius to the other side of the bus so as not to be overheard. "The children look sickly, and all the young men are delinquents from what I've seen so far," he said. From what he'd seen the few times he'd brushed through here in the past, actually. "Although, they _are_ displaying our corporate logo, which you'll be pleased to hear, sir." At least the busses were. He listened then snorted with laughter a bit. "Yes, sir. It definitely won't be a problem to get these country rubes to sign the paperwork… We'll have that new Joja Hypermarket up and running in no time. Then maybe we can discuss that new… Yes sir, we'll talk about it later… Same dump it's always been of course. I can't imagine why you ever wanted to build here, but I mean, I'll see what I can do to fix what was lost…" Read 'your screw up', in place of 'what was lost', he inwardly threw in. "Yes sir, goodbye." He hung up then came around the bus again.

"Friend of yours?" Robin icily asked.

"Boss," he replied.

"And you are…?" Lewis fished.

"I'm fairly sure I specified who I was when I was making arrangements to come to your little… slice of heaven here," he said, looking disdainfully around. "My name is Dobson."

"If you're so put out over our little slice of heaven, why even move here?" Robin demanded a bit testily.

"Because where there's nothing, there's opportunity," Dobson replied. "But I'm really not obligated to speak with either of you about my reasons for coming here. I have the money and I'm paying, that's all you need to know. Now where's this dumpy little farm I spent good money on?"

Robin, scowling, looked ready to deck the young man. Lewis grimaced, moving between them and putting on a cordial grin. "Right this way, Mr. Dobson. Follow me," he replied. Dobson did so without protest. "We have various farms up for grabs here as you're probably aware. A common farm, a mountain farm, a wilderness farm, and a forest farm that belongs to our resident farmer. If I'm not mistaken you had requested the wilderness one? With respect, Mr. Dobson, might that not be a little, err… far removed for you? I can give you the common one instead."

"Far removed? I think I can handle it," Dobson replied. "I mean, how hard can working a tiny little farm possibly be?"

Stardew

Dobson gaped in horror at the plot of land. Robin was taking no small amount of satisfaction from it. Even Lewis couldn't help but smirk. "Have fun Mr. Dobson," he said, patting the young man's shoulder. Chuckling, he walked away with Robin leaving Dobson solo with no clue where to begin. Dobson scowled after them then looked back at the farm, shifting uncomfortably. Oh boy… He tentatively approached it. He guessed he should, um, check inside? Maybe just scope the land first day here? He walked up to the rickety door and reached out, touching it to open it. It fell off a hinge and swung limply open. He gawked. Oh Yoba…

He swallowed and went into the house. He gasped in horror, hand going to his chest like he was about to have a heart attack. What even was this?! A bed, a TV with a crappy rug in front of it, a rickety boarded window, a fireplace, a fridge, and one counter with a microwave on top was all that was there. He looked around hoping for more. There was a plant, some tacky decorations… All in all, it looked like someone had thrown something together spur of the moment with bits and pieces gathered from a dump! There had to be more. He saw a ladder leading up probably to an attic, and a trapdoor heading down into presumably a basement. He honestly didn't know if he had the guts to explore either place. Maybe he'd run into a serial killer who'd murder him or some monster that was going to devour him alive.

He grimaced, played eenie, meenie, mynie, moe to choose, and landed on the basement. "Oh wonderful. This gets better and better," he said out loud to no one. He headed for the trapdoor and pried it nervously open. He looked around, a precursory check, and climbed into it carefully. One room. Well that was… quaint. And lame. More tacky decorations. They had master decorators here, he snarked to himself. He sighed, heading back up and tossing his hands in the air. Basement wasn't a death trap. Good to know. Maybe the attic would hold par for the course. He climbed up and was immensely relieved to find it clear of infestation or intruder. Just as tacky as the rest of the place, if not more, but it worked. Wait… Oh good god, there wasn't a bathroom in this house! He almost passed out from the horror. Hell no! He would walk to town in the middle of the night before he defecated in a hole dug in the ground! It wasn't happening! Ever! "Are they kidding with this?!" he freaked. First thing on the agenda was a house upgrade.

"Ugh, garbage!" he shot, kicking something across the room and storming back to the main level. Maybe in the morning everything would look better? He almost laughed at the thought. "Wives tales," he grumbled, examining the bed carefully. He grimaced. What if it had insects in it? Eww… He took a deep breath and threw back the covers. He gagged. They looked like they hadn't been changed for years! Floor it was, he dryly decided. He looked at it and grimaced. You know what? Bed was better. He threw off the dirty sheets and lay on the mattress. He felt like he should toss off the covers, but the damn door was still broken so he'd probably freeze to death without them. Heck, he might freeze anyway. Maybe that would be a blessing. He sighed, resolving himself to a long stretch of hell.

Stardew

Things did not look better in the morning. Because why would they? He was in a crappy shack in a dumpy town on a garbage farm overgrown to the point there was probably no point in cultivating it anymore! And he was terrifyingly certain something had been feeling out the broken door last night! He needed a sword, a gun, something. And a phone for that matter! How was anyone suppose to get emergency help out here?! That door needed to be fixed effective immediately. And he needed to figure out how to start working his crap land. What kind of stupid idea had _this_ been? Stupid, stupid, stupid!

He dug away at a dusty trunk and pulled out a few tools, laying them on the ground and looking them over. "Oh ho ho, this is just _perfect_ ," he said. Sarcastically, in case that wasn't obvious. A beat-up watering can, a dented hoe, a splintered axe, and a loose-headed pickaxe. Oh, and a rusty scythe! Which incidentally was the closest thing to a reliable weapon this dump had! He could kill Grim Reaper style if it came down to it. He sighed heavily. Well, the hoe and the watering can would be absolutely pointless until he got the mess outside cleared up. Oh, there had to be a better way! He should find the carpenter woman. Maybe she would have something that would be of some use! And if not, the General Store might. The shops opened at nine he believed, so if he left now through the backwoods, he might get there just as it was opening up.

Sighing heavily, he rose, dusted himself off, and headed for the door. He frowned at it. It now dangled uselessly from one hinge. Yes, the meddling whatever from the other night had broken off a second hinge, which didn't bode well if the pattern stuck; so really either way he'd needed to drop by Robin's shop. Besides, he had to investigate prices for house renovations and farm buildings and the like.

The spring day was nice and warm, refreshing really. The air was sickeningly clean, and so far, that was the only plus he'd come across in this stain-on-the-map town—laugh, laugh—but perhaps with a little exploration he'd find another positive or two. Unlikely, but possibly! He walked down the road listening warily to the forest, on constant guard. It was something he'd learned living urban most his life on top of his time drafted into the miserable Gotoran army. Always watch your six. And seven, and eight, and nine… Basically just watch everywhere! And always be listening. Use every sense you had as well as you could.

It seemed he didn't need it when a few minutes later he was in the general area of the shop. He frowned in distaste on seeing the tent set up and the presumably homeless hermit living in it. Yuck. He sighed, rolling his eyes. Maybe _that_ would be the guy who did him in, he wryly thought. Shaking his head, he went down to the shop and walked in. Robin was behind the desk. She smiled at him, but the smile bordered on fake and taunting. "Good morning Dobson," she greeted cheerily. "How was your first night? How goes the farming?"

"I need hinges. Two of them. The door is falling apart," he replied.

"Are you sure you can handle placing hinges?" she asked like he was a child. He ground his teeth, fuming, and bared them before schooling his expression into an icy grin. "I'm sure I can look it up," he replied.

"Ooh, see, the thing is out where you are there's no service," she replied. His jaw twitched. Well just fu… fudging great.

"Give. Me. Hinges," he said. "And let me see what else you have to offer. Gods, it's like you're all barbarians living out here! No toilets? Really?"

"Again, only the farm," she sang out, sliding over a catalogue of services she offered.

He sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples. "Fine. Fine!" he said. He grabbed the catalogue and began flipping through as she got the hinges he needed.

"I'll give you three, so you can replace them all. Listen, if you don't know how to do it, I'll come over and install them for you. No charge," she said, softening a little.

"No thank you," he replied curtly. He gasped on seeing a tractor garage she was offering. That was perfect! A tractor!

"Is the tractor included?" he asked.

"The price pays for it all, yes. If you just want the garage, or just want the tractor, it's cheaper," she said. "But if you want both, you pick out the tractor you like from my selections and I order it in for you. If you want something nicer than what I have, that cost is going to factor in."

"If a basic tractor gets it done, it gets it done," Dobson replied. He frowned a bit at the price. Well, so much for house renovations if he got this. At least until he started earning some money. But with the tractor on hand he could maximize his total profits all the quicker! A tractor was a perfect investment! He could live in discomfort for a while for a tractor that could double as a mode of transportation. "So I supply the materials, you do the work?" he asked.

"Mmm hmm," she replied. "It'll take three days or so, but before you know it, you'll have your tractor.

"Can't I buy the materials from you?" he asked.

"Most of them. You'll have to go to the blacksmith for the rest though, and to my daughter Maru for a battery," Robin said.

Dobson tensed and looked quickly back at her. "Your-your daughter is who now?"

"Her name is Maru," she replied.

He blinked. Okay. So, Robin was the mom of his probably future sister-in-law. Things just got better and better. "Is she here?" he asked after a moment. Admittedly he'd wanted to scope out his brother's love interest for a while now.

"She is. Buy the materials you need from me, buy the battery from her, then head to the blacksmith. He closes early so don't delay. Then if you make it back here before closing time, I'll get myself prepared and start work tomorrow. But uh, the hinges I'll do today how about? While you're gathering materials."

Silence. "Yeah. Yeah, that works," he replied. Ugh, his funds were just draining away, he ruefully noted. Oh, this had better pay off! Either in farm productivity or Joja productivity. Who even had driven the corporation out, he dryly asked himself? Hmm, it was probably the supposed 'elf'. Another issue he had to deal with. He turned to Robin. "Let's do this then." She smiled, nodding, and they made the exchange. Once things were set up with Robin, the woman left to fix his door and _he_ went to find this Maru girl Harvey blabbed about incessantly.

Stardew

He found her in a… lab? With her father. Demetrius, he believed. Another potentially invaluable resource. That _he_ would take advantage of if Harvey refused to. "Hello?" he said, knocking lightly. Maru and Demetrius both paused, curiously looking over at him. "I was told to come here to purchase a battery pack," he said.

"Oh, you must be the new farmer," Demetrius said, smiling at him. "Hopefully you're not… Well, let's just say we haven't had a lot of luck with new arrivals these passed few years."

He would have to pry more into that later, he decided. "So I do get battery packs here?" he asked.

"Yes. I'll set you up," the young woman, Maru, replied, wiping off her hands. He looked her dubiously over. He frankly didn't get the appeal. Seriously, were those overalls? Talk about a bad fashion statement. For anyone. The poor girl would be laughed out of the city if she ever showed up there dressed like this. But then what really did he expect from a pack of country bumpkins? "Something wrong?" she asked, snapping him out of is. She looked vaguely annoyed, so she'd probably spotted the disdain in his eyes.

He forced a cordial smile. "No, nothing," he replied.

She frowned but let it go, walking out. He followed. "So… you came here to be a farmer. Huh. You uh, don't look the traditional part," she said.

He bit back a biting remark. Future sister-in-law, future sister-in-law, future sister-in-law… Nope, here it came. "Well neither do you and look where we are," he bit.

She shot him a sharp look then sighed and smiled ruefully. "I suppose I deserved that," she admitted. Good. She had a thick enough skin to admit when she'd messed up. He harrumphed. Silence. "Wait here. I'll get it from my old room," she said. She left him in the hallway. He took the time to think about how to breach conversation with her. Soon she came back out. "Here you go. I'll ring you up at the till," she said.

"Thanks. Need it for a tractor," he said.

"Wow. _That's_ an expense," she remarked.

"But worth it, if it's worth its weight in gold," he replied. "So… old room? I guess you've flown the coop?"

"Yeah, but dad has the best lab in town so I'm here almost as much as I'm at the place I live in now. An apartment building. We converted the old Joja Mart to a complex when it went under," she said.

"There a particular reason you moved out? It's not cheap, after all, and if the lab you need is here…" he began.

"It's… complicated," she replied, grimacing a bit. "It's not really your business, but I mean, it's not going to kill me to tell you. Some… rumors started floating around about the guy I liked, and dad lost it. Took to trying to keep us apart, took to occupying all my time so I couldn't see him as much. He didn't approve already, there's a sizable enough age gap between us to raise eyebrows and he wasn't impressed with that, so the rumors were kind of the final nail in the coffin. Drama, arguing, drama, tears… I just had to get away. Let's just say the past couple years haven't been great for Pelican Town… But I think things might finally be turning around, so with luck you won't be marred by everything that was happening." Dobson was quiet. He had been deeply, deeply marred by one part of it all… Horribly marred… She wrapped up the battery and gave it to him. He paid silently. She tilted her head at him. "You… look familiar somehow," she said.

"Oh?" he asked.

"You, well, you remind me of my boss, Dr. Harvey. He's the town physician," she said. "Probably the glasses and the hair." She frowned a bit curiously. Okay, she was getting suspicious. Time to deflect and leave.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure plenty of men out there wear glasses and have similar hair," he said, turning and walking away before she could scrutinize him better and figure it out. There was no way Harvey hadn't told her about his siblings at _some_ point or another. Or hey, maybe the guy really was that tight lipped. If so, kudos to Harvey. Of course, the village would figure it out soon enough, but _he_ kind of wanted to be the one to drop this bombshell on his brother. Probably tomorrow, while he was waiting for that tractor. He'd take the day and wander around town meeting everyone. From the lowest churl to the second highest totem on the pole. He'd already met the topper. He'd uh, start with Harvey though. Now to go to the blacksmith and buy up the last few materials he needed for this ridiculous tractor that was breaking his bank.

Stardew

Maru was distracted the next day at the clinic, ponderously tapping her lips with a pencil as she thought about the new farmer in town. There was something about him… He'd looked a lot like Harvey. Harvey had talked about a brother and sister, he'd told the whole town when they'd been baying for him after the rumors of espionage started. Could it be that… But why would Harvey not have mentioned that his brother was moving to town? You'd think he'd at least tell _her_. And the man hadn't seemed to know her, but surely Harvey had mentioned her to his family! Right? They were engaged now after all.

"Maru, have you seen my clipboard?" Harvey asked, coming out of the back office.

"Hmm? Oh! Oh, right, uh, here it is," she said, picking it up and handing it to him with a sheepish grin.

He raised a curious eyebrow at her then shrugged, taking it. He smiled. "Thank you, love."

"Of course, doctor," she replied, smiling back. He turned to go, flipping through it. She hesitated. "Uh, Harvey? Is there… something you've forgotten to tell me?" she asked.

"I dare say I've 'forgotten' to tell you a lot of things," he replied, alluding vaguely to his… not so legitimate activities.

"Right, of course that, but… but I mean something that has no reason to be kept secret," she replied.

He looked back at her, visibly confused now. "Is… something going on?" he asked after a moment.

"N-no, nothing. It's nothing," she replied. He knew she wasn't being entirely truthful and looked like he was going to push, but he apparently decided now wasn't the time for it what with patients starting to come in, so shrugged and went back into the office. She sighed and looked over before starting on seeing the new farmer passing by in his cleanly pressed suit. She really hoped he had work clothes along with him, or that getup he wore wasn't going to stay clean and pressed for long. She called the first patient, Alex, to go inside.

It was a little under ten minutes later that the new farmer entered the clinic. She started, frowning curiously at him. Okay, he could not look this much like Harvey coincidentally! But it still didn't make sense. Wouldn't Harvey know his own brother was moving into town? If anything, that should be cause for excitement! She would have thought the doctor would have been talking nonstop about it. On the other hand, he'd just come back from the grave, so to speak, so maybe he wouldn't know after all.

"Is he almost done in there?" the farmer asked, leaning on the counter and jabbing a finger on it. In his other hand he held a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Harvey's favorite.

"Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it. Are you my boss's brother?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am," he replied, shrugging.

"W-well doesn't he know you're here? Why would you have kept that quiet? It's great!" she said, grinning excitedly at him. "He's talked about you and your sister really fondly. He'll be ecstatic to see you!"

"I have my reasons. Suffice it to say I'm not so sure 'ecstasy' will be what he feels upon seeing me," Dobson replied. "Is he almost done or what?"

"Oh, yeah, of course. Wait in the hall and when the patient comes out, just go right in and surprise him!" she said.

"That was my plan," he replied, holding up the coffee.

Stardew

Dobson headed through the doors and went into the hall to wait for the patient to come out. In only a couple of minutes he did, striding out like he felt on top of the world. Dobson watched him go passed then headed to the examination room, pushing in. "Maru, can you run out and check to see if Evelyn is still coming in for her appointment?" he asked.

"The old lady? She seems nice enough, but her husband? One foot in the grave. Sure we can't push him the rest of the way in?" Dobson replied.

Harvey yelped, literally yelped, and jumped about a foot in the air which was impressive considering he was sitting down. He spun around, mouth dropped, and shot to his feet. " _Dobson_?!" he exclaimed.

"Hey big brother," he replied, smirking and shoving the coffee into his hands. "Brought you something."

Harvey looked down at the coffee, startled, then at him, then at the coffee, then at him again. He blinked. "Wh-what are you _doing_ here?" he finally found the words to say.

"I moved," he replied. "Into town. Onto the Wilderness Farm. I'm going to start a farm! Isn't that great? Oh lucky me."

Harvey seemed for a moment like his brain had broken at these words. He didn't quite compute what had just been said. "You're… going to start a farm," he finally replied. "Here. In Pelican Town. In the wilderness."

Dobson didn't answer, starting to seem a bit uncomfortable and anxious. "Yes," he finally replied.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Harvey blurted before the yes was even fully out of his brother's mouth. "You don't know the first _thing_ about farming!"

"What's there to know? You clear, you dig, you plant, you water, you pick!" Dobson said.

"Dobson, that's not how farming works!" Harvey exclaimed. "You can't seriously think it's that simple! What put this braindead scheme into your…? Oh my god." He remembered Dobson's cryptic remark to him and Carmen about having a plan for how to keep them all together instead of spread out until the heat died down. Dobson shifted a bit. Harvey looked at him. "Oh my god!" he exclaimed. "Are you serious?! Of all the plans you could have possibly had, your brainchild was to move to the country to start a farm?!"

"Not entirely! I'm also here overseeing Joja Mart's interests," Dobson replied.

"Joja Mart. The place the elf king ran out. The place he curses the very mention of. The place he isn't going to let poison his perfect world," Harvey flatly said.

"Yeah. That one. I'm on my way to the top, brother dear, and I plan to get there no matter whose throat I have to cut; and it's going to give me immense pleasure to cut the throat of Stardew Valley if need be to get this hypermart thing up and running. Do you have any idea the _payday_ I'll get out of this?! We're talking a massive raise, a major bonus, and a promotion, Harvey. Look, it's not like Joja Mart is going to destroy the valley!"

"The farming valley whose livelihood _centers_ on local produce?!" Harvey shot.

"At worst the country rubes move to the city and get back into the real world!" Dobson shot.

" _This_ is their real world, Dobson!" Harvey said.

"Okay, fine! I'll push for the hypermart not to be directly in town… Just on the way," Dobson said.

"Dobson!" Harvey shot.

"Convenience is the future, bro, not cute little mom and pop shops," Dobson replied.

"I can't believe you!" Harvey yelled.

"I'll figure it out, okay?! I'll come up with something that works for everyone. That's more than Morris was willing to do for you all!" Dobson said. "Trust me."

"How am I supposed to trust you on this when a big fat paycheck, a whopping bonus, and a guaranteed promotion is the bait that scumbag Morris is dangling in front of you?!" Harvey shot.

"Drink your coffee bro, I have seeds to buy!" Dobson shot, turning and storming agitatedly away.

"You don't know what you're doing Dobson!" Harvey insisted, going after him. "You won't last a week out here. I mean look at you! You're in a high-priced suit and designer shoes! What, is that your work clothing now?"

"It will be after I get that pay raise," Dobson sang back, waving tata to his brother. Harvey followed him to the door looking seriously concerned.

"Do you have a weapon at least?! The Wilderness Farm is in the middle of a monster mecca! I don't know what you were _thinking_ choosing it! I don't want my kid brother getting himself killed," Harvey pled. Maru looked concerned, not sure what was happening but knowing it probably wasn't good.

"I have a rusty scythe," Dobson replied, pausing and wincing a bit.

"A rusty…? Oh son of a bit… You, upstairs, now," Harvey ordered, pointing. Dobson frowned, thought about disobeying, then sighed, begrudgingly shuffling passed his brother to go towards Harvey's flat.

Stardew

Harvey threw up his hands in exasperation. "I mean… at least you and your siblings are going to more or less be in the same place?" Maru lamely offered. The travelling merchant, whose name she still didn't know, would probably continue to come and go, but she was here usually anywhere from two to three times a week, so she couldn't go far!

"Oh joy," Harvey dryly replied.

Maru winced. "I can't tell if you mean that or not," she said.

Harvey sighed. "I love my brother, I love him dearly, but to say he's insufferable is to be generous. Most people can only take Dobson in small doses, if they can take him at all. He's ruthless, cutthroat, ambitious, determined, condescending, rude, and a dangerous enemy to have. He doesn't care who he has to step on to reach his goals, most of the time. Ideal for corporate cutthroats, they'd fall all over themselves to have a guy like him on their team, but not so ideal for, well, anyone else. Let's just say he's not in the valley to make friends. And that will be glaringly obvious soon enough."

Maru was quiet. "So… nervous about having a younger version of you around?" she teased. He gave her a look that screamed 'don't even joke'. She giggled and came around the counter, draping her arms around his neck and kissing him. "You know, I still don't know the name of your sister."

He smiled a little. "Her name is Carmen," he replied.

"Sandiego?" Maru teased.

"She's on par," he replied with a grin. "Now I should go after my brother before he gets impatient." Maru nodded. "Check up on Evelyn for me will you darling?"

"I'm on it, boss," she replied, smiling at him. He nodded and headed up the stairs to go after his brother.

Stardew

Harvey entered his flat only to see Dobson poking around his radio and other effects. "Model airplanes? Really? What are you, ten?" Dobson bit.

"It's a hobby," Harvey replied, frowning. "Besides, a lot of them were gifts."

"I remember this one. I gave it to you when you learned you couldn't become a pilot," Dobson said wistfully, taking one down and examining it. "I wanted to make you feel better."

"And you did, and it's among my most treasured models, so kindly put that down," Harvey replied, smirking a bit and taking it from his brother. Dobson crossed his arms smiling amusedly at his sibling. Harvey grinned back and put it back in its place before leaning on his desk and sighing, bowing his head. "I'm not upset you're here, you know. Just to get that clear. Well, I am, but not for the reasons you might think I am."

"More concern for me than dismay I've moved in?" he asked.

"I wish you'd told me sooner," Harvey said, frustratedly drawing a hand through his hair. "I could have helped you get settled in, set things up for you… I could have been prepared."

"Yeah, I should have. They don't even have a toilet there, Harvey. Not even a toilet! Or an outhouse! What kind of primitives are these people? And where are the washing machines? What, do they still use washboards?" Dobson demanded.

"Oh you are beyond not cut out for this," Harvey said with an exasperated sigh. He unlocked a drawer, felt around, then opened a secret panel. Dobson started in surprise. Harvey reached in, pulling out a gun and some ammo and handing it over to his brother. "For the monsters," he said. "Speaking of, do you understand the danger you're in out there, baby brother?"

"If I can handle people, I can handle mere monsters," Dobson replied.

"Don't do that, please," Harvey pled, rolling his eyes hopelessly.

"What?" Dobson demanded.

"There are far more good people in the world than bad," Harvey said. "Listen, if something goes wrong do you have a way to contact me?"

"Does _anyone_ have a phone here?" Dobson asked.

"Yes. It's more common than you think," Harvey replied, chuckling in amusement.

"Laugh it up," Dobson replied.

Harvey's smile fell slowly. "So, is that a no?" he asked.

"No. I have a cellphone. But what would really be handy for certain 'other' occupations is an internet signal. Any strings you can pull there?"

"I'll see what I can do, but Carmen's probably your best bet with all her smuggled goods. Write to her and ask her to find something for you," Harvey replied. Dobson nodded. Harvey sighed again then pulled him into a one-armed side-hug. "Good luck, okay? Please try not to get yourself killed."

"I'll be fine!" he insisted. "The hard part will be the clearing."

"Oh you naïve thing," Harvey replied, smirking a bit worriedly. Dobson huffed and turned, walking out after tucking the gun away on his person somewhere out of sight. Ammo ran out, so the scythe was still his most reliable weapon, but this would come in handy for a while. Ammo could be bought of course, but out here it wasn't going to be forthcoming and would require a trip into the city. A slingshot would be a better bet than the gun would be. He'd have to look around for one. Now, onward to the General Store.

Stardew

Pierre, standing behind his counter, looked curiously up when the door opened. He started. Someone he hadn't seen before had come in. The newest farmer, perhaps? "Yes sir, I'm here right now sir…" he was saying into a cellphone. "Yes sir, at Pierre's General Store, was it? The place that belongs to the guy who punched you out?" Pierre started, straightening up. No. It couldn't be! "Bad taste sir, my apologies… What? …Oh, yes sir, I'm looking around right now. It's a dinky little dump…" the man said. Pierre looked offended, mouth dropping in outrage. "The produce doesn't even look nice. Like it was pulled right from the ground. It probably was, but if I may, sir, that is in fact the trend these days. Homegrown produce, real and natural and untainted. Buying local and all that you know… I know, it's a ridiculous notion! But it's here to stay and that's the fact of the matter… Yes sir, completely ridiculous sir… Yes, everything in this pathetic shop is local… No sir, not a single thing commercially produced _in_ the place. It's actually a bit sickening. I'll bet they don't even have a health inspector who comes through… I know, it's disgusting. But it's what I'm stuck with now… Thanks for the good luck wish. I'll need it in this rundown, backwater town… Yes, goodbye sir."

The man hung up. Pierre glared icily at him, seriously thought about booting him out, then decided money was money. It was sickly satisfying to see a Joja Stooge have to stoop so low as to actually give money to _him_. "I hope you know I relished that punch," he icily stated to the man.

"I'll just bet you did you violent little thing you," Dobson replied. "Be grateful he didn't press charges, rube."

"You're fixing to follow in the footsteps of your boss," Pierre replied.

"Yep, but I _will_ press charges so, ooh… check. Your move," Dobson replied. Pierre's jaw twitched. "Then make that checkmate," Dobson replied, smirking victoriously. Pierre punched the counter angrily, gritting his teeth and glaring daggers.

"You are…?" Pierre growled.

"Dobson," he answered. "Now mind your own business while I browse." After a few minutes, Dobson shrugged. "Nope, nothing here worth buying. I'm going to have to figure something else out it seems. Disappointing."

"Go to hell," Pierre bit.

"Cute," Dobson replied. "Hmm… Actually, how much for the backpack?"

"Five thousand," he flatly replied.

"I'll be back for that, then," Dobson replied. "Tata."

"Go to hell," Pierre sang in response, giving a disgruntled wave.

"Touchy, touchy," Dobson all but purred, obviously thriving on the biting remarks. He left the shop, shutting the door. He didn't need seeds right now anyway. Not until he'd cleared the miserable farm. Fortunately, the tractor should be ready tomorrow or the next day. Then he could get to work.

Stardew

He was immensely happy to see the garage built to standard with the tractor inside. Immensely. And now his door was fixed on top of it, so really it just got better and better! He took out the manual and began reading through it. Okay, multiple features, uh huh… Good for hoeing, watering, cutting, breaking, planting, clearing… Perfect! He read quickly how to operate it, looked at it, then climbed onto the tractor. "Alright, let's see how you do," he said. He drove it out of the garage without trouble, stopped it, then read how to attach components. He would start with cutting, he decided. There were more trees here than rocks. It took him an hour or two to figure it out, but eventually it paid off, him panting tiredly. Finally! "Okay, let's try this again," he said. He climbed on and started driving. It handled well so far, but the attachment he had, had trouble cutting down the trees he noted with a frown. And the really big logs and stumps. Apparently he'd still have to upgrade his tools. Just perfect. Oh well, this was worlds better than doing it by hand. He sighed, shaking his head in exasperation, but went with it nonetheless. This was pretty easy so far! He could totally get behind this if it remained this cooperative. Ugh, annoying debris. He hated it.

He finished out the day having cleared about half of the farm. He had a good amount of materials to show for it too, which was a bonus. He'd store most of the wood and rocks since apparently Robin needed to be supplied with materials before she would do the work you paid her to do. An acceptable sacrifice, he determined. As long as she did it well. He felt his phone buzz and frowned, pulling it out curiously. Carmen, he saw! She was in town! Good. Maybe his sister had something more productive on her to plant than Pierre seemed to. He had time to get there still, and even if he didn't, she'd open for him. He was her brother after all. He parked the tractor and leapt off, setting off immediately for Cindersnap Forest.

He arrived there in not too long. She was just preparing to close. "Carmen!" he called out, jogging towards her.

She started, turning in shock. "Dobson?" she exclaimed in shock, stunned to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here now," he replied. "Bought a farm in the wilderness," he replied.

She stared at him like she couldn't believe she'd heard that, then looked like she was concerned for his sanity, then seemed to recall what he'd vaguely murmured to her and Harvey about a plan to keep them all close together. " _This_ was your plot?" she hissed to him, pulling him close. "Are you crazy?"

"No! I can handle a piddly farm," he indignantly replied.

"Gods, Dobson!" she protested.

"Look, do you have a decent seed or not?" he demanded.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe _you_! I shouldn't even be encouraging this, but if you're really set on this… please tell me you aren't," she said.

"I am!" he stated.

She grimaced, pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head. She sighed. "Coffee beans," she said. "From one seed many will spring. It is a crop that can increase incrementally. The seeds make you profit enough under the right circumstances, and if you refine them into coffee with a keg, they'll bring you a good deal of income."

"Sounds good! Let's do that then," Dobson said eagerly. "I'll take a coffee seed… And a rare seed just because."

"You're in over your head, brother," she warned, handing them both over.

He paid for them, rolling his eyes. "Whatever sis," he said. "Thanks."

"Does Harvey know?" she asked.

"He reacted about as miserably as you. And now you're probably going to go visit him and the two of you are going to talk behind my back and put down my ambitions," Dobson said.

"This isn't even a genuine ambition of yours! It's a front!" she exclaimed. "And it's a front you don't know the half of. You have no idea how difficult a farm can be."

"Guess I'll figure it out quick then!" he replied, marching angrily off.

"Dobson!" she called after him. She sighed, rubbing her face. "If you need help promise you'll ask," she said, throwing up her hands. She couldn't deter him from something he'd set his mind on. No one could. Maybe rarely, but not most of the time.

"I know, Carmen," Dobson replied, waving dismissively. She shook her head hopelessly after him...

Stardew

Things were not going according to plan. The coffee bean matured slowly, then he had to plant more which matured slowly, then more which again, matured slowly, and most of the beans he had to ship to even hope to bring in a profit! Most of his money was being made from wood and foragables, for goodness sakes! He'd in fact taken to planting trees on his farm so he could mass cut them down when they matured. He'd gotten strawberries from the egg festival—which he'd won by the way—and planted those too, and those brought in a pretty profit, but things were agonizingly slow and tedious, and he was going insane! It had been two weeks. Two. Weeks.

On the bright side he now had a copper pickaxe, hoe, axe, and watering can to show for his efforts. Which cut into his profit big time but also made things much more efficient. The more efficient he was, the more work he could do, the more profit he could bring in. He'd also gone down into the monster infested mines because he'd been told they'd been cleared—they weren't, maybe once they were but not anymore—and had gained a sword, a lot of stone, and plenty of ore. A few gems too. Mostly quartz and geodes. Which he processed and sold immediately. The tractor made things _so_ much easier. And it wasn't easy to get the miserable thing into the mines either. He couldn't fit it on an elevator, he couldn't ride it down a ladder, so he had to follow old mine-cart tracks and hope there were no dead ends he couldn't handle. The monsters were miserable… FYI, he'd refrained thus far from telling Harvey anything about his mine excursions. Or his excursions into the 'Secret Woods' which were apparently supposed to be off-bounds because elf king. Humph, _he_ hadn't run into it yet.

Ugh, saving up was taking forever, he dryly noted to himself as he filled up the bin. But he'd called in a couple connections and had hooked onto someone who would pay a higher price for wood than most, so now wood was turning into quite the profit gainer. Maybe he should stop farming and be a lumberjack, he dryly noted to himself. But then the coffee beans would eventually spare him having to pay three-hundred gold for a coffee every time he wanted to do something nice for his brother and bring him his favorite morning picker upper. Which was two times a week at most. Didn't want to spoil Harvey too badly now, did he? He shut the bin and went to clean up in the pond because perish forbid the ridiculous house have a sink! He needed to get ready to go to dinner with his siblings anyway. They were going to eat at Harvey's place instead of the saloon because hey, he wasn't here making friends and the townspeople weren't exactly his biggest fans right now, ever since stupid Pierre had spread the word that he was working for Joja. He'd become the most detested resident in Pelican Town overnight! Well, he'd already been there, but now he was _definitely_ cemented in that place. Harvey had been making it a point to keep him away from the others. They didn't even know yet that he was the guy's brother, for goodness sakes, but that was probably for the best anyway. He sighed and went inside to get ready to meet his siblings.

Stardew

"You appear here and ask me to remove a bullet from your side like it's the most casual thing in the world?" Harvey bitterly bit at his sister, who he was currently removing said bullet from. "I told you to stop taking that pass! Come by water, Carmen. It's safer."

"That pass is quicker, passes some major suppliers of mine, and often has refugees wandering through it alone and scared," she replied through gritted teeth. She gasped as he pulled out the bullet. "Most painless bullet removal I've had," she said.

"I'm good," Harvey replied with a smirk, though not an amused one. He sighed and set to cleaning the injury, disinfecting it, and wrapping it while clinging tightly to her hand so she could squeeze when she was in pain. "They're going to catch onto you if you keep taking that route," Harvey said. "Considering they haven't already. This implies they have," he said, gesturing at the wound.

"I'll think about it," she relented with a sigh.

"Do. I don't want to lose you. None of us do," Harvey said. He rose, holding the bullet in the tweezers and going to dispose of it. "Lay low, sissy. At least for a little while," he warned as he went. "Dobson or I will give you the all-clear when it's safe again."

Silence. "So… He's actually doing this. This farm," Carmen remarked after a while, examining the dressing Harvey had put on her. Excellent, she noted to herself with pride. As always. He was very, very good at his job. "How is it going for him?"

"Dobson likes instant gratification. He's impatient and doesn't like to wait. It's going too slowly for his liking, in short, but it's going nonetheless. Just… I'm afraid he's starting to take unnecessary risks. Maru mentioned seeing him heading for the monster infested mines, Marnie remarked she spotted the new farmer going into the Secret Woods… I need to have a serious with him about that," Harvey replied with a sigh.

"How does the village like him?" she asked.

"They don't," he wryly answered. "At all."

"Do they know he's…?" she fished.

"No. Yoba no," Harvey said with a chuckle. "And they won't for a while yet. Just Elliott, Maru, and Kent, and they can keep a secret.

"I have yet to meet the belle of yours," Carmen remarked. "Officially… Why are you keeping her from us, Harvey?"

"I'm not," Harvey replied with a frown. "It's just…" He trailed off.

"If you don't trust that Dobson won't use her, at least trust that _I_ won't," Carmen said with a sigh.

"I… I'll bring her by tomorrow, alright?" he relented with a sigh. "But we were trash-talking Dobson, not me."

"We weren't trash talking!" she insisted. "We were expressing concerns that our preppy city boy couldn't hope to live out even a single year in this 'backwater town', as he calls it, without going insane. The man's wardrobe consists of pressed suits and designer shoes for goodness sakes!"

"He picked up some working clothes," Harvey replied. "Kind of."

"Name brand?" Carmen wryly asked.

"What else?" Harvey asked, throwing his hands hopelessly into the air. "He likes the finer things in life. Likes to dance dangerously close to living beyond his means."

"And he has a lot of means," Carmen said. "He's Morris' golden boy, don't you know?"

"His favourite stool pigeon," Harvey replied, smirking. "The man could order him to crawl on his belly like a reptile and he'd do it if the price was right." The door was knocked on. Harvey looked over. "There he is. Presumably. Who is it?!"

"Open the door, Harvey," Dobson replied, sounding annoyed at the question.

"As if you'd do differently, brother dear," Carmen called out.

Harvey smirked hopelessly at her then went to open the door. "About time," he said.

"I had farming things to finish up," Dobson said, shrugging.

"You've cleared it by now I assume?" Carmen asked.

"I cleared it the first week," Dobson replied.

"So, you've been spotted by the mines you know," Harvey said.

"Don't trouble yourself over it," Dobson said, frowning at him. "Is this an actual dinner or frozen dinner?"

"Actual," Harvey replied, frowning. "Carmen helped me with it. We used produce from your farm in fact."

"Who else's produce is being sold? The Elf King's?" Dobson asked.

"No. _That_ he keeps closely guarded. Mostly," Harvey replied.

"You do know I'm not buying this elf king, right?" Dobson asked, sitting at the table.

"I guessed. If you did, you'd be steering clear of the secret woods," Harvey said, frowning.

"What, you're spying on _me_ now?" Dobson demanded.

"In a town this small, everyone knows what everyone is doing. Remember it," Harvey replied, folding his arms with a frown. "I'm serious, Dobson. You're playing dangerously."

Dobson rolled his eyes and looked over at Carmen, who was getting up from the couch and wincing a bit. He noticed the dressing peek out from under her shirt and started. Frowning, he asked, "What happened?"

"I came through the pass and was shot," she replied.

"I told you to avoid the pass! We _both_ did!" Dobson said.

"I know what I'm doing. _Your_ jobs are espionage, sabotage, and surveillance. _I_ do the ground work," she replied. "But Harvey's made your point. I'll lay low for a while and avoid it for some time. The armies are being spotted skulking around it, perhaps looking at it as a potential weakness. A breach into each others' territories. I'll have to contact the Underground and suggest an alternate route."

"I've uncovered a few possibilities," Dobson said.

"As have I," Harvey added.

"The more avenues the better," Carmen replied, sitting at the table.

Harvey brought over the food and sat with them. "Are you both doing alright for money?" he asked in concern.

"Business is good. I'm well-set," Carmen replied.

"I'm scraping by," Dobson replied.

"Your version of scraping by or normal peoples'?" Harvey asked.

"Normal people's!" Dobson indignantly replied. "I've been working here two weeks and barely have ten thousand G. But things are starting to pick up finally, so that's something."

"Focus on supplementing our parents, Harvey. I'll focus on supplementing our work, Dobson will focus on supplementing himself," Carmen said.

"Oh put a lid on it Carmen," Dobson said. "Soon enough I'll be wealthier than either of you, either through my farm or through Joja."

"You're already wealthier than either of us. Morris of _course_ can't let his little golden goose starve now, can he?" Harvey replied.

"You're both just jealous," Dobson grumbled. Silence as they ate. "What's the Flower Dance?" he finally asked.

Harvey looked up, raising an eyebrow. "A dance?" he replied like it was obvious. Dobson gave him a dirty look. Harvey sighed. "It's an annual dance where people pair up with each other, most often the objects of their affections and most often the younger townsfolk, and dance to a traditional song together in a line. A synchronized slow dance, in a way. If you don't find anyone to dance with, you're on the sidelines like a wallflower," Harvey said.

Dobson stared at him blankly then winced. A date. Ooh… "Is one necessary?" he asked.

"Anyone who's anyone will have one, Dobson," Carmen said in mock horror. "It's all but a status symbol!"

"No. It isn't. Please Carmen, don't troll him," Harvey said. "It's not necessary to have a partner for the dance. Without one you'll just be on the sidelines is all."

"An outcast and reject," Carmen added. Harvey gave her a scathing look. She smirked. Dobson grimaced uncertainly.

Stardew

Harvey sat in the community center wincing, surrounded—he wasn't surrounded personally—by an angry mob. To be fair it had taken them longer than he thought it would to get sick of Dobson. He was impressed how long they'd taken it frankly.

"He called me a delinquent!" Sam protested angrily.

"He called me a boozing outcast!" Shane shot.

"He called me little lost vampire boy!" Sebastian said.

"He called me muscles for brains!" Alex said.

"He called me beach hermit Fabio," Elliott said in disgust and appall.

"Now I'm sure he didn't mean…" the flustered Lewis began.

"Space case," Haley said.

"Nut job," Emily said, sticking up her hand.

"Pathetic edge Lady," Abigail said.

"He's… creative?" Lewis lamely offered.

"He stole candy from Vincent!" Jodi angrily stated. "Snatched it right out of his hand!" Harvey could have face-palmed.

"I mean, in his defence he was… trying to preserve Vince's teeth?" Maru lamely said, glancing nervously at Harvey to try and read his reaction. He seemed unfazed. Almost relieved, like he'd expected this and it had taken too long to happen for his comfort.

"He was cruel to me when he caught me scrounging for food the other night!" Linus said.

"He calls _you_ the gaudy mayor," Leah put in, speaking to Lewis. "And he calls Marnie the gaudy mayor's special friend!"

"He what?!" Lewis, flustered, demanded while blushing deeply.

"He doesn't belong here," Pierre more ominously stated. "He never belonged here. He's a Joja stooge! Tell them what you found, Sebastian."

"You have no idea how often I pushed the boundary of legal and illegal to get this info. Pretty sure I broke it once or twice," Sebastian wryly said. But it had been good money.

"I'll bail you out if the fuzz comes for you," Pierre replied, brushing it off while Robin looked shocked and horrified.

"The fuzz? Really? Catch up man," Sebastian replied, rolling his eyes.

"Sebastian, you didn't!" Robin exclaimed.

"Anyway, you were right," Sebastian said to Pierre, quick to ignore his mother's appall. "Dobson works for Joja Mart. He's Morris's right hand man, his closer, his big money maker. If Morris wants a job done, he goes to Dobson. Dobson's the company's big trump card," Sebastian said. "He's ruthless, smart, efficient, cutthroat, and will walk over his own grandmother in spiked shoes to get what he wants… Okay, maybe that's a bit gruesome, but still. Joja has plans for a hyper-mart out this way. That's why Dobson's here. He's getting the lay of the land."

"Joja Mart's been driven out," Lewis said, shocked at this development.

"Hence the reason Morris has sent in his dog," Pierre said. "To fix his screwup and finish what he started. Like I said, he doesn't belong. Why are we tolerating this man's presence in our valley? He doesn't have a clue, he obviously hates this place and everyone in it, and he's ultimately just here to stir up trouble! We've had enough trouble the last few years. I advocate running him out. Driving him so insane he just has to leave. I mean, who does he think he is?"

Harvey winced again. "He's… my brother," he spoke up then. All eyes went to him in shock. He blushed red and raised a hand up to cover his face. "He's my petty, insufferable little brother," he muttered sheepishly again. "He actually moved here to be closer to me and to our sister. Joja's mission was just the cherry on top." Utter silence. "I'll talk to him. See if I can check his behavior. And even if I can't, I'll keep a tight leash on him, alright? I'll take full responsibility for my brother," Harvey said. Silence. They all just left wordlessly, obviously stunned by the news say for the few who already knew the truth of it, namely Maru, Elliott, and Kent. Harvey groaned, leaning back in the chair and shoving the heels of his palms against his forehead trying to figure out how to deal with his sibling's… quirks he'd say.

Stardew

Harvey stopped by the farm to see his brother, who was finishing watering plants in annoyance. "Hey Dobson?" he said.

"I hate romantic holidays," Dobson grumbled, pulling out a letter and shoving it at Harvey. An invitation from the mayor who also suggested he find a date in so many words.

"No woman ever has caught your attention? Or man?" Harvey half-teased.

"No, and it's unlikely anyone ever will. I'm going to be totally alone there looking like a moron!" Dobson said.

Harvey grimaced, shifting. "If you really get desperate, I'll be your partner for it," he finally said with a sigh. "Just so you're not totally alone on the sidelines missing out on all the fun of your second big festival."

"Then we'll both look like morons," Dobson replied.

"Maybe, but you're my brother so I can deal with it," Harvey replied.

"Maru will be on the sidelines," Dobson pointed out.

"She won't mind," Harvey replied. In fact, she'd probably think it was hilarious and take a bunch of pictures. Besides, dancing with Dobson could help humanize him to the rest of the town.

Dobson was quiet. "Okay," he finally relented almost vulnerably. Gratefully for certain.

Harvey smiled. He hesitated a moment when Dobson went back to the plants. "So… how are you getting on with the townsfolk?" he asked after a moment.

"I hate them, they hate me," Dobson replied flatly.

"It would help your case to tone down your condescension and at least try to get to know them, you know," Harvey said. "You might find you actually really like them."

"And become countrified like you? No thank you," Dobson replied.

"Liking the people and getting along with them doesn't make you countrified," Harvey replied, rolling his eyes. "You're always going to be a city boy at heart."

"Attachments are counterproductive to big goals," Dobson said. "I'm just fine with being the pariah. I get more done." He finished watering and looked at Harvey. "That why you came?" he asked, wiping off his hands. "To ask me to play nice with the other children? What, was there some town meeting?" Harvey grimaced. "Oh my god there was," Dobson said, rolling his eyes and sighing.

"You came this close to being run out, Dobson," Harvey said, making a small gap with his fingers. "You have to at least _try_ to settle here. Goodness knows how long you'll be sticking around."

"Hopefully not long," Dobson said.

"Can't you give it a fair chance?" Harvey pressed.

Dobson sighed heavily, bowing his head. "Fine. I'll try to be 'nicer'," he relented.

"Thank you," Harvey said. "You can start with Alex and Haley's wedding today. They wanted it today because they want to dance the Flower Dance as husband and wife. It's very sweet I think." Dobson grunted, brushing him off. "Don't be Kent," Harvey said.

"Um, no?" Dobson replied. "Don't even suggest I'm like that jerk. He tried to beat me to a pulp at the saloon."

"Probably because you said or did something insulting towards him or his family," Harvey flatly replied. Dobson narrowed his eyes coldly at Harvey. "I suppose you're not going to confess what you did then?"

"Get out," he icily said, pointing. Harvey smirked, chuckling, and left with a wave. In not long he was joined once more by Dobson for the wedding.

Stardew

The next day was the Flower Dance. Dobson arrived at it last. And stopped dead in his tracks on seeing a man he'd never seen before hanging back close to the edge of the woods and just… watching. Him specifically. Looking wary and unimpressed. He stared at the man a moment before grimacing and turning away, heading towards his brother and trying to ignore the feeling of eyes boring into his back. "What's with the man at the edge of the woods?" he questioned.

"What man?" Maru questioned, looking over. She saw no one.

Dobson looked and started. Sure enough, he wasn't there anymore. "Th-there was a man there," he said, puzzled.

"It might have been the farmer," Penny remarked, smirking cryptically. "The other one."

"The other farmer?" Dobson asked.

"The elfin king," Penny specified. No use hiding it, after all. Dobson had probably heard through Harvey.

"Still not buying it," Dobson said.

"Neither did Shane. He learned the hard way. Try not to make the same mistake," Maru said.

"This is just ridicu…" Dobson began. He yelped upon seeing the man again, watching even closer at hand. They turned. This time _they_ saw him as well.

Dobson blinked and frowned, starting to march towards him. Harvey caught his arm, holding him back. "Don't," he warned seriously.

Dobson looked like he was seriously thinking about defying Harvey, but then relented with a sigh. "So… d-do you want to be dance partners?" he asked his brother a bit sheepishly.

"Aww…" Penny and Maru both said, clasping their hands together.

"Shut up," Dobson grumbled, blushing deeply.

Harvey chuckled. "Of course," he said reassuringly to his brother. "Too bad Carmen never comes to these things. You could have asked her instead." Dobson shrugged.

"Guys," Penny warned. They looked over. The farmer was approaching them.

He stopped near their group, looking at Maru. "I would offer you companionship, should you wish to dance rather than stand aside," he said to her simply. They all started in surprise. That… was the first time he'd ever offered to dance with anyone before, rather than alone. Perhaps out of… sympathy? It was hard to tell.

"Would you have done the same for Dobson?" Maru asked almost timidly, blushing nervously.

The farmer looked Dobson over warily. "Perhaps," he answered. "Though I should doubt he would wish to dance with his rival farmer."

"What rival? I don't see _you_ selling your produce to the villagers," Dobson replied. The farmer tilted his head, summing him up warily. Harvey looked momentarily horrified. "So much for elf king," Dobson pushed when there was no retaliation.

"What possible reason would he have to sell his produce to us when he gives it freely to all his people?" Penny put in, frowning angrily at Dobson.

"Because _you're_ all helpless without a farmer around, it seems, and if he's actually the faerie you claim he is, and all his people are faeries, they can grow produce out of the ground for _themselves_ whenever they choose to," Dobson replied.

"We claim that he's an elf whose _people_ are fairies and junimos. And other," Maru corrected. She looked at him. "And I would be honored to dance with him."

He nodded to her and turned back to Dobson. "You have been to the Secret Woods," he said.

"What, you going to threaten me away from them?" Dobson asked. "You don't own the forest."

"Um, Dobson? He does," Penny said, quickly trying to do damage control. "He's an elf. It's his domain. Stop antagonizing him!"

"Elves aren't supposed to walk among people so freely," Dobson said. "They're afraid of them and disdain them more than I disdain all _you_."

"Afraid?! Disdainful? How dare…" Penny began.

"He is not in err," the elf put in cryptically before walking away without elaborating further, them watching after him stunned. Dobson looked triumphant.

"I hope you know he's going to make you eat your disbelief," Maru said, frowning at Dobson. Dobson scoffed.

Stardew

The couples were lining up for the dance now. Dobson was vaguely annoyed he was the only guy in a lineup of girls—he stuck out like a sore thumb—but he guessed it was either him or Harvey. He would have preferred it to be Harvey. Maru was standing alone looking vaguely nervous, searching for her would-be partner and looking ready to walk off if he didn't come. Where was he anyway? The music began, she was about to leave, then all at once the wind picked up, flower petals soaring through them swirling in the sudden breeze and forming something of a funnel in the spot where he should be… And among them he appeared… Fully arrayed as the king he was!

He wore no disguise anymore, put on no illusion of a farmer, he was just there. There in his lengthy cape and his crown of branches woven with spring flowers; there with his long hair draping down and his pointed ears plain for all to see. There in royal garb of a silvery material they had never seen before, tall and proud and beautiful. Maru could only gape in shock and disbelief, knees going weak. Dobson could practically feel his brother's jealousy spike from here, Harvey suddenly looking immensely horrified he'd let this happen. Dobson could only gawk in disbelief, suddenly feeling really, really uncomfortable that he'd crossed… _that_.

He moved towards her. She was frozen in place. He took her hand, guiding her some steps forward, and placed his hand on hers in the air. He began to move slowly around. She stumbled at first before starting to follow his lead. The others started to snap out of the shock and move to the music as well, but all eyes remained on the elf and on Maru, trying to process what was happening. Well, at least no one was focused on his and Harvey's out-of-place dance. Seriously, he would have preferred to move like the girls than dance like the rest of the guys given the way the lineup worked.

Maru and the elf danced long after the rest of them had run out of stamina. Harvey was locked on watching it now, looking a little nervous. "How can she keep going?" Dobson heard Haley whisper to Alex in wonder.

"Look at who her partner is. He's making sure she can," Alex replied. Soon the two stopped the dance.

Maru seemed to snap out of a sort of daze, shaking her head and catching her breath. She blinked up at the elf in shock. "Th-thank you," she breathed. He bowed his head to her and moved to the sidelines silently, observing the rest of the festival.

"He'll be the last to leave," Harvey murmured to his brother, who could only stare. "Then he will dance again in the fairy ring, his people with him. If we delay, he'll start regardless. We'll all fall asleep watching and wake up in our beds tomorrow. It's happened before."

"This is insane," Dobson said.

"What was insane was your antagonizing him. No more, Dobson, I'm serious," Harvey said, frowning at him. For once he didn't seem inclined to argue.

Stardew

When his brother came bustling into the clinic covered in dirt with twigs sticking out of his hair, and looking immensely excited, Harvey knew he was not gong to like what he heard. "Bro! Bro!" Dobson said, coming right up to the counter and slamming his hands on it almost giddy. "The Secret Woods is a _goldmine_! Endless wood, varied foragables… I found an iridium quality spiceberry of all things! Iridium, Harvey!" He pulled it out, showing it off. Harvey gasped upon seeing it. "And there were more. Not a lot, but more! I'm netting over twenty thousand gold a _day_ , practically, by foraging and foresting that place! Why did no one tell me this awesome secret sooner?"

"I told you not to go in the Secret Woods!" Harvey protested in alarm. "Dobson, you're not in a normal forest there. You're in the elf king's domain! Its his trees you're harvesting, his produce your foraging, his…"

"Oh bully for him! He's not doing a single thing with anything he has. But I am. And it's bolstering your miserable economy, so I don't see the harm in it. If anything, he should be pleased the things he grows are actually being useful now. He hasn't come by to stop me. I avoid mysterious lights, I avoid potential sounds of singing or laughing… I'm handling the woods just fine. And the mines, Harvey! The mines! Why on earth is no one mining them? They're rich in ores of copper, iron, and gold! To say nothing of the sheer amount of geodes let alone the gemstones discovered down there! There's infrastructure already in place. What is that clueless mayor of yours doing refraining from using it as a resource?"

"Trying to keep people alive?" Harvey bit. "The mine is also infested with monsters!"

"Which bring in a pretty profit themselves!" Dobson argued.

"Are you seriously going into the mines alone and trying to fight monsters?" Harvey hissed at him.

"Actually, I avoid them at all costs, but it's not like they're immortal," Dobson replied with a huff, starting to pluck twigs out of his hair in disgust. "Not the point. The point is I injured myself in the forest and need a potion or powder or something," Dobson said.

"You what?!" Harvey demanded.

"A few bruises and scratches, dear brother, not a concussion or broken bones or anything such as that, of course not!" Dobson replied. "Oh, oh Harvey, I have the money to finally upgrade that dumpy little shack they have the audacity to call a home! And the materials for it too. And I did! And now it's finished. I can actually go home and bathe, finally. _Bathe_. In an actual bath instead of in that miserable, icy cold pond on my farm. And no more transit into town if I need to relieve myself! Also, a place to build smelters to process the ores I find in that mine. And the next upgrade will be bigger still! I need to get to harvesting again. The coffee beans are finally starting to turn a profit as well! The sooner I can build a keg, the sooner I can really make money off them. And stop spending it on three-hundred G coffees for _you_." He placed said coffee down for Harvey.

"Dobson, you have to stop this!" Harvey all but pled as he handed over a few health elixirs and powders. "You're going to get yourself killed! Please! Can't you just farm like a normal person would?"

"No, Harvey, I can't. The inflation rates in this miserable republic are ridiculous! The sooner you people have a hypermart the better. I've been scoping out a place on the other side of the tunnel. You know, where the gas station and firehall are? And the diner?"

"I've rarely been through the tunnel to that part of town, but I know what you mean," Harvey replied with a sigh.

"Anyway, it would be somewhere over there. If I pitch it just right to Morris, he may let go of the idea of building it in the middle of this place," Dobson said. "I've already started developing business plans for it and the like."

"You're going to run Pierre out of business!" Harvey protested. "Or crash this economy further."

"Not if I can convince Morris to purchase local to stock his shelves. For instance, use Pierre as a supplier," Dobson replied. "I have a plan for that too. Might save me a bit of local hate. Most people in Pelican Town will probably still buy Pierre, for what it's worth. Mostly city folk will be making the trip out to the hypermart. Anyway, I need to go bathe. Tomorrow is another long day of harvesting the woods."

Harvey was quiet. "You're really getting into this," he remarked after a moment.

"Ah, I'm into the _money_ in it," Dobson corrected. "The work is for the birds. I'll see you later."

"Just… be careful," Harvey pled again in concern. Dobson waved him off, leaving with the health elixirs and powders. Harvey watched after him, deeply concerned and with a bad feeling pricking at him…

Stardew

"Dobson? Dobson!" a terrified voice broke into his thoughts, fuzzy and distant sounding. "Please, please respond! Wake up!" He grimaced, shifting a bit. He was having a hard time opening his eyes, though, and didn't know why. "Oh, thank goodness. For a minute I thought… You had me so scared that… I was so worried I had lost…" the voice said again before trailing off. His brother's he recognized now that it was a little clearer. He felt a gentle and coaxing hand on his shoulder and his eyes fluttered open weakly. He winced at the bright lights, adjusted slowly to them, and blearily blinked up at his sibling who was hovering over his bed looking as white as a sheet, sick, and nothing short of petrified. The stress and worry and pain creasing his brother's face… The man looked like he'd aged thirty years. "Please, please, please be so much more careful in the future. Never ever go there again. I'm begging you," Harvey whispered weakly, gently placing a hand on his brother's forehead and brushing back his hair. Dobson made a mewling sound he immediately regretted, but it felt so nice. He remembered their parents used to do that whenever they'd been sick or injured as children. He grimaced in distaste at the noise he'd made.

"What… what on… wh-what happened? Why am I here?" Dobson asked. Wow, was that his voice? It sounded so weak and hoarse.

"He brought you back in such terrible shape. I had to perform emergency surgery to save your life," Harvey replied, voice wavering a bit. He drew a shaking gasp, closing his eyes tight. "I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you…"

"Who brought me back? From _where_?" Dobson asked. He felt like he'd been hit by a train.

"The elf king… He brought you back from the secret woods. You had been… been swarmed by monsters… They were tearing you apart when he rode onto the scene and began cutting them down. You were… it was…" Harvey began. He stopped to take another breath. "You'd been mauled. I almost didn't realize it was you at first. Fortunate for you, most of that blood was from the head and not your face, like I'm sure you're concerned it was." He smiled weakly at the crack.

"Bite me," Dobson bitterly grumbled.

Harvey's smile fell. Silence. "Don't go there again. Ever. This isn't a metropolis; I don't have a second doctor to spell me for conflicts of interest, I don't have anyone to fall back on in emotionally distressing situations… Do you have _any_ idea how hard it is to perform emergency surgery when you can't breathe?" he asked, sounding hollow and angry and scared and pained and traumatized all at once.

Dobson looked over at him with a slight frown, a bit concerned. He winced on realizing just how empty his brother looked, how blank his eyes were, how weak he seemed; like at any moment he was going to faint… He looked away. "Now imagine how painful it is to feel like that all the time. Imagine how hard it is to go on or even function when you're left believing your brother is dead and you don't even know where the body is. At least _I_ came back. I somehow doubt you ever planned to dead _or_ alive."

Harvey was silent. "Don't you dare," he darkly and icily replied.

"Consider us even," Dobson bit coldly back, shooting him a sharp look and trying to sit up. He winced, falling back on the bed in pain. Harvey let out a shaking breath, letting him down gently.

"We'll talk later," Harvey said. "For now, just… just rest for a few days. I need to… to keep an eye on you in case-in case I did something wrong or in case you become infected or in case you take another turn for the worse or any one of the million other things that could possibly go wrong because I couldn't think clearly for the panic."

"You may want to work on that, bro. You're emotionally attached to everyone here," Dobson said.

"But not everyone here is my brother," Harvey replied. "Carmen _will_ be hearing about this, and she'll be sure to stop you from entering those woods whenever she's around to be able to."

"She can't catch me every time," Dobson defiantly replied.

"No, but she might catch you just enough times to spare you your life," Harvey replied.

Stardew

Dobson hadn't originally planned to have much for pity on Harvey regarding the doctor's concerns over the forest and the mines. Within a couple of days, though, guilt had begun to prick at him. When he'd ended up in the 'hospital' _again_ , there had been a blow up that resulted in Harvey storming away furiously to retire to his apartment. Dobson had stewed a while before sucking it up and deciding to go up and apologize. He'd peeked in the door and saw his brother fighting back tears, balled hands rested on his forehead as he assumedly prayed, Dobson guessed. Probably for his safety and recovery. Which had in turn struck a chord with him and he'd relented finally. Now every so often—read fairly regularly, like once or twice a week—he would ask Harvey to walk with him around town.

'Walk around town' was basically a thinly veiled euphemism that actually meant 'explore dangerous monster-infested areas together so we have backup in one another'. So now he was travelling to the caves and woods with Harvey and a lot of the time seriously wondering how he'd gotten so far without him. Having a doctor in your 'questing party' was only the best investment ever, he decided then and there. Bonus points if that doctor was related to you. It made them more desperate to save you. And drove you to be extra careful not to die, because you _really_ didn't want that kind of guilt to be tossed onto your loved one's head. He knew first hand now what that kind of guilt felt like and he would resent his sibling evermore for putting him through it too. He had _definitely_ found himself being more cautious since teaming with his brother. Sometimes sister if Harvey wasn't available and Carmen was.

He and his brother were on their way to the Secret Forest. They had stopped to pick up Carmen on their way. She was just closing shop and getting a couple of things. "We aren't going deep into it, Dobson," Harvey warned as Carmen came out to join them. "Not this time. I don't like to even _approach_ that place, let alone walk into it."

"Because a mythological fairy creature lives there?" Dobson sarcastically replied. "Fine. If you're afraid of fairy tales, fine."

"You saw him, Dobson," Carmen stated. "You looked him in the eyes, and you knew what he was."

"And he did me no harm or anyone else, so forgive me for doubting he's any sort of a threat these days," Dobson replied.

"Don't talk nonsense," Harvey sharply said.

"I must agree with Harvey. You're saying things you don't mean and challenging a power you can't comprehend. For your own good, stop while you're ahead," Carmen added in concern.

They kept on going in silence for a while. Bats were starting to come out, which was annoying, but these ones seemed to be ignoring them. Mostly. Suddenly Carmen stopped, staring at a bat flitting nearby. Her brothers turned curiously. "Carmen? What is it?" Dobson asked.

"That… bat just spoke to me," she said, looking deeply disturbed. Harvey and Dobson exchanged looks then turned to said bat warily.

 _"_ _A clearing close in the forest you'll find; a fabulous banquet, a faerie ball! Close your eyes and you open your mind. Then the veil will disappear and you'll see it,"_ it squeaked out.

"What. The hell?" Dobson said, disturbed. Music suddenly was heard, distant but there. They turned quickly in its direction. Far, far in the forest there was a faint glow… "What the hell?!"

 _"_ _Come and play as the wild faeries play in a magical circle, a faerie ring. You won't want to leave and forever you'll remain where the vision is bright as a spring day,"_ it said.

"We need to go. Now!" Harvey quickly said, looking quickly away and forcibly turning Dobson to look away too, then Carmen.

 _"_ _Come and dance the wild faerie dance. Spin in a circle as fast as light. Once you begin you are caught in a trance and the world can grow old in a single night…"_ the bat sang temptingly.

"We got the hint!" Harvey replied, ushering his siblings quickly back the way they'd come. He froze, gasping. The path they'd taken to get here had vanished! "There… there was a path there," he said. Dobson and Carmen were both pale now. They knew there had been too. They looked at their older brother fearfully. Harvey looked uneasily back. "Oh no…" he said. They turned too. Carmen screamed. Dobson shouted a curse. Sitting perched in the branches were humanoid figures looking down on them with unreadable eyes and expressions!

 _"_ _Those who seek us surely find us, see the trail we leave behind us;_

 _Some bewildered, some enlightened, some are brave, and some are frightened._

 _Are we kind or are we vicious? Nectar poison or delicious?_

 _That, my sweet, you will discover; faerie foe or faerie lover,"_ they eerily chanted.

"Just-just let us go. Please," Carmen fearfully said as the three of them backed away. "We didn't come here intending to disturb you."

"If we make it out of this alive, you are never, _ever_ going in this forest again without permission of the king," Harvey hissed at Dobson scathingly.

The faeries glared down at them from the trees darkly. A creature then emerged from the forest. They looked quickly up. A white stag! The faeries looked down at it and shrunk to normal size, flittering down to the creature and perching on its antlers as it stared at them icily. "Please. Forgive us," Carmen said to it. "Let us go home." It tilted its head and looked contemplative. Suddenly eerie music was heard. A terrifying sounding violin, screeching away utterly beautifully. They caught their breath. A glazed look started to come to Carmen's eyes, her stepping in the direction it seemed to come from. The stag made a sound then turned and pranced swiftly back into the forest, presumably to investigate the sound. Harvey turned. The path was back!

"We can go," he said. "Hurry."

"Harvey," Dobson nervously said. Harvey turned and started. Carmen was walking in the direction of the violin. Dobson gave him a worried look then went after her, taking her arm and gently steering her towards the path again, moving her along quickly. "You've made your point," he said to his brother numbly.

"Finally," Harvey replied with a sigh of relief. At least now Dobson might start to get a clue. Oh this was going to be a long year...


End file.
